Stargate Scion
by Arthur Hansen
Summary: A mystery that will confuse Atlantis as someone that does not follow their rules.
1. SGA: Hero

In the middle of the woods lay a clearing with a strange stone-looking ring propped up on its edge. Suddenly, it activated as symbols started to light up on its edge. With a woosh, the interface of the wormhole stabilized and out stepped a group of soldiers that took up position around the gate.

"Looks all clear, Sarge." The soldiers were watching the trees diligently.

"I see a hut with smoke-" another soldiers started to say.

"English! American English!" the young woman said as she slammed opened the door. "Midwestern accent! _Americans!_" That was when she noted their guns and carefully raised her hands. "Um, don't shoot?"

Sergeant Miller looked over his men with a raised eyebrow. "You, away from the hut. Johnson, check out the house _carefully_."

"So that _is_ a transport device. I wasn't sure. There wasn't any path and no one is around to use it. And with the way it dematerializes things, it could have just been a fancy device for getting rid of trash. It's old, but I could tell-" she started rambling facts off about the device that she had figured out.

"It's all clear. All I could find that was odd was an iPod." Johnson was back outside now.

"What's odd about an iPod?" she countered. "Other than it was made on a different planet?"

"It's way too small." He held up the minuscule device. "And it has an LCD screen."

"Well, duh. It's an iPod Video. Not that it does me a lot of good. I haven't been able to cobble up something to charge it with," she said.

"And its going to be built next year," the soldier said while rolling his eyes.

"Um, it's June 10th, 2008." She looked quite confused.

"It's July 15th, 2004." The sergeant was watching her carefully.

"That's weird. The past on a different planet and then the Air Force shows up. This means, of course, that the UFO nuts are right and that the US Government _does_ have clandestine spaceships!" She snapped her fingers to punctuate her point.

"So you do _not_ know about Stargates and the Pegasus galaxy, but you made it here somehow?" he asked incredulously.

"The _Pegasus_ galaxy? I knew I wasn't on Earth the first time I looked up at the night sky, but I only halfway thought I was that lost. Hmm." She looked like she was seriously contemplating things. "But you are Americans, right. USA, apple pie, rap music?"

"Yes, we are. Now shut up. I think we need to consult with Atlantis," Miller decided. "Turn around."

She shrugged and did as instructed. She heard them dialing and the woosh of activating. The officer seemed to be arguing, quietly, with someone over a radio.

"Fine. Miller out." The sergeant stomped over to her. He roughly grabbed her arm and twisted it behind her while tying her hands with a slip-tie. That was also when he found out the 'prisoner' was packing a pistol. "Prisoner secure. We are evacuating this world."

"Can I consider myself oppressed? And don't forget my iPod! I need my tunes!" she called out to the soldiers that were trying desperately to not laugh.

All of them stepped through the Stargate where she was treated to the roller-coaster ride through the wormhole. As she materialized in the exact same midstep, she crumpled to her knees. "Oh, that didn't feel so good." That was the last thing she said before she passed out, wondering why the gate was glowing so brightly.

Elizabeth Wier and the other technicians at the gate just stared in shock at the girl that was glowing with some sort of inner light as she collapsed.

"That wasn't human," Rodney McKay said. "You did see that, right?"

"I think we all saw that, McKay," Major John Sheppard said trying to hide his own surprise.

"She's unconscious," Miller called out. "And the glow seems to be fading."

Lt. Aiden Ford looked over to John Sheppard. "We probably ought to get her to the infirmary. She _did_ pass out."

* * *

Sheila squinted her eyes, even while closed and then opened them to look around. "It wasn't a dream?"

"What was a dream?" a man with an Scottish accent asked.

"That I'm not all alone on a planet by myself. Hello, my name is Sheila. Did you take a blood sample? And did I sign a form that allowed that?" she asked as she tried to sit up to find herself thoroughly belted down. "And, wow, am I ever thoroughly trussed up. Are you guys afraid I'll go all Rambo on you?"

"I'm Dr. Carson Beckett. And the reason you are so tied up is while we verify that you are human. Which all of my DNA testing has concluded you are," the doctor said with a small smile. "Finding an American out here, well that is a bit odd."

"The Pegasus galaxy _is_ a bit off the beaten path. Now, a DNA test would only verify that my genes are human, wouldn't it? I could have many other changes that would not show up," she said helpfully.

"And that wouldn't explain why you were glowing after you stepped out of the Stargate at all," Dr. Elizabeth Weir said as she entered the infirmary. "Now an explanation on that score would relieve my security-minded second in command greatly."

"I was glowing?" she asked bluntly.

"Yes."

"I've never done that before." She tried to shrug under all the restraints.

"Humans usually don't glow after walking through the Stargate," Elizabeth continued while tapping her toes and holding her arms around her torso. "And by your comment, I would assume you are inhuman in a way that can't be detected by DNA coding."

"Ah..." Crap. Stupid motormouth. "Well, maybe. But I really don't know why I glowed."

"But you can guess a reason, I bet."

Sheila nodded pitifully. "My mother... claimed to not be human. I was totally normal until that time. After that... I wasn't."

"Not normal in what way?" the scientist asked.

"I was stronger, much smarter and much faster."

John was almost growling from the other side of the room. "And what was she?"

"She insinuated... heavily, mind you... that she was Pallas Athena nee Minerva of Olympus." She just gave him a crusty glare.

The major looked over at the doctor. "I thought you checked for Goa'uld?"

"What's a Goa'uld? And why would saying Athena is my mother make him do a check like that?" Sheila asked nervously.

"She has no markers and the test came back negative. Even her x-ray was negative," Beckett replied amiably. "So I don't think she's a Goa'uld."

"She doesn't look like an Asgardian," Weir said with a small smile.

"I'm not big and muscly enough to be an Asgardian. Or fond of giant axes to chop down giants!" she replied helpfully.

"You make it sound like you know an Asgardian," John asked curiously.

"Two, actually. Both big brutes of maleness and able to bench press small cars!" She gave them a sunny smile that seemed to make them more worried. "Is there a problem?" She seemed to deflate as she watched then.

"The Asgardians are... the 'Gray Aliens' of popular UFO mythology. They don't look that big in real life."

"Dolph was _really_ that big. He was a Scion of Hel and pretty creepy, but he was surely no little Gray." Sheila was giving Elizabeth a very odd look.

"Hell? Oh, Hel!" she said.

"You really aren't the sort to swear, are you Dr. Weir?" John asked in bemusement.

"No, that's actually her name. H-E-L." Weir tried to hide her irritation.

"Oh." The major looked sheepish at her explanation while trying to hide it.

"Quantum shift." Sheila seemed to be busy thinking. "No way would the gods allow some alien to impersonate them. So, ergo, this is a different quantum reality. Mendezi Alphonse _really_ wanted me lost."

"I take it you were sent to that planet?" John asked.

"Yeah, a nasty piece of work of a titan-spawn boot-licker. So what are you doing in Atlantis? It looks much more high tech than I'd expect," she said while still looking around curiously.

"I have to have you sign some non-disclosure agreements before we can do that."

"I can't sign anything." Sheila actually looked a bit smug about.

"You won't be allowed out of the infirmary without signing," Elizabeth said with an aggrieved expression.

"I didn't say I don't _want_ to sign any forms, but that I can't. You still have me tied up." Sheila just smiled at Elizabeth's mounting frustration.

"Fine, we'll release you." John started releasing her immediately with an exaggerated roll of his eyes just for her benefit.

She started reading all the forms, going over the different contracts. "There are several questionable stipulations. I certainly am not going to let my work be for free no claim no ownership of technologies I've developed." She continued reading, ticking a list with her right hand a list of issues with the contract.

"That really isn't up for negotiation," the leader of the expedition said slowly. She was startled to see Sheila taking apart the paperwork like she was a professionally trained lawyer. "Just out of curiosity, what skills do you have that would help our expedition to survive better?"

"I was, before I got booted into another universe, working on several different college level courses in medicine, biology, physics, politics and academics," she replied. "Several of these points break U.S. and California legal code for under-age minors."

"All at once?" Carson asked in shock.

"Yeah, though I still had to go back to High School for my track and field," she replied absently.

"After you were boosted by your mother's visit?" That didn't sound very ethical to Elizabeth.

"No, all that was before I was visited. I'm not sure any college or university could properly challenge me at this point." She was still reading the contract, but was almost finished.

"It does take a certain amount of time to absorb all that information," John noted as she continued to write on the papers on points that she was contesting.

"It took me three days to become an expert level computer hacker by reading thirty-two books on the subject after my visitation."

John just whistled at that.

Elizabeth started reading over the contract a little more closer. "I'll have to review this, but from what I can see, you are probably correct on these points. On the understanding that you will sign a revised version of the non-disclosure agreements, I'll let you go."

"Yay! Do you have real food?" she asked John curiously. She patted herself down. "I'm missing my stethoscope, palm pilot and my pistol. I can understand why you took the pistol, but those other two are just as important to me."

"We don't allow civilians to carry firearms. We were having Rodney and his group take a look at the palm pilot. I guess the Greek writing in it makes sense, in hindsight." John opened the door and started walking her down the corridor.

They opened another door just down the hall to Rodney tapping on a computer in frustration. "Why won't this things talk to my computer?" he groused as he glared at the offending device.

"Because it only allows itself to communicate with computers, not for other computers to communicate with it," Sheila said helpfully.

"That doesn't make sense. Communication is two-way," he snapped back. "Oh, it's you. I take it we have another stray now?"

"Communication is _always_ initiated by the palm pilot. _My_ palm pilot, by the way." She snagged her device back. "Thanks. Where's my stethoscope?"

"It's over there. It was totally ordinary except for the intricate engraving," Rodney asked as she stomped over and took it.

"Um, right." Sheila stopped, looking at a computer with technical mathematical formula written across it. "What's this?"

"It's an equation for hyper-spacial math used to open a hyper-space window and the power requirements. It's far too complicated for you to- understand?" Rodney was watching her scroll rapidly through the equations. "You aren't going to say you understand that, do you?"

"Let me actually read it first." She continued to read, only to stop and ask him a question on a physics phenomena. "It look its mostly accurate. I think this part and this part need more clarification, but you can get it to work with only a minor feedback oscillation in the drive."

"When did you get- You haven't seen this before, right?" Rodney asked.

"No, I just went through it right now." She looked slightly perturbed at him.

"She's on my team, Major. Where did you graduate from?" Rodney asked brusquely.

"I haven't yet. I've only been taking college courses for the past two years." She raised an eyebrow at the scientist then looked over at John. He just shrugged back.

"Let's see if you can help with a problem that Grodon couldn't. He was supposed to be looking at this equation instead of the newest Ancient device."

* * *

"So you are telling me that Rodney _likes_ her?" Elizabeth asked John seriously in her office.

"I think like might be a bit strong. It's more... he thinks she's not a raging idiot," John replied, then shrugged.

Aiden raised an eyebrow at that. "Not an idiot?"

"That's probably the highest level of praise from Rodney, actually." Elizabeth drummed her fingers on her desk. "Well, I guess I'll 'hire' her onto the civilian scientist staff."

* * *

"Here's the paperwork to sign, just like I promised," Elizabeth said, handing her the contracts later in her office still. "I understand that you've made some friends in the scientific exploration. It seems like everyone thinks you mesh well with Rodney."

"I'm not sure what to think about that, but I think I could manage." She started re-reading her non-disclosure agreement again.

"They say you speak eight languages?" the administrator asked.

"So far."

"Well, I think you will be a very big help to our team." Elizabeth smiled at the young girl.

"And in exchange for helping you decipher this Ancient technology, I get to continue to look for means to return to my own time-space?" she asked seriously.

"Yes, that seems more than fair." They shook on it and then Sheila signed the forms.

* * *

"McKay, have you seen Sheila?" John asked as he entered the scientist's laboratory almost a week later

"No. I'm actually a little upset at her. She said she was going to start deciphering Ancient technology and then she ups and disappears on me. She doesn't have any serious methodology or plan. And she's been hiding from me!" the brusque scientist declared angrily.

"Actually, I don't think _anyone_ has seen her in four days. And that was in the cafeteria where she grabbed a meal and the vanished again." John was starting to be worried.

One of the native kids suddenly piped up from where they had been watching from the edge of the room. "I saw her talking to the Ancestor's devices down several levels. She called it a nursery."

"Nursery?" John asked in confusion. Rodney just shrugged.

"Her fingers dance with the lights," the child exclaimed with a gleeful tone. He took off down the corridor, John right behind her, Rodney a little slower behind but close enough to keep them in sight.

Several levels down, they came to a door that was already open. Out of the corner of his eye, John saw Teyla watching from a corner. But it was the blonde girl wearing glasses in the chair manipulating floating, 3D holographic images as several voices spoke. Sheila said something in the Ancient's tongue and the voices and images stopped. "Hello, Major. Rodney?"

"What are you doing here? You are supposed to be helping with deciphering Ancient technology!" Rodney almost shouted.

"I'm just making sure you are okay!" John explained quickly. "What are you doing down here?" He looked around the room, noting that it appeared to be colored in pastel colors rather than the rather strict colors of the rest of the city.

Teyla was just watching intently as her fellow Athosian came to sit at her side while handling her a piece of bread.

"Doctor McKay, I _am_ helping to decipher Ancient technology by gaining an education as if I were an Ancient." She glared at him. "Just randomly figuring out technological trinkets isn't going to advance our knowledge at a reasonable rate."

"That will take forever!" Rodney complained. John bobbed his head a bit side to side even as he frowned, seeing where the lead scientist was leading. They really did not have time to learn everything an Atlantian child would have to learn.

"I'm already up to year ten of the Ancient schooling. Though, by their standards, I'm crippled because I can't see into the near infra-red and ultraviolet." She tapped a pair of glasses on her nose. "So I have to have this until I can understand their technology more to do some minor genetic tweaking."

"You've learned _ten years_ of Ancient- Okay, I _might_ have been a bit abrupt about that. So what does a fifteen year old Ancient know?" Rodney was suddenly quite animated as he started thinking of all the possibilities. To actually _know_ what the Ancients knew... that would be big.

"I'm writing an abbreviated syllabus and training manual to gain the major parts of the education where it is concerning to the physical sciences." She pointed over at a notebook plugged into a heavy portable battery pack. "You can read it when I'm done, which is probably going to be several weeks at this rate."

Teyla finally stood up before Rodney could interrupt. "I think it is time for a break. You have not moved from that location for ten hours. That is not healthy."

Sheila opened her mouth to argue, but stopped. "Oh, yeah." She stood up. "I need to get out and jog. Really stretch myself out."

"Do you want a jogging partner?" John asked as he led the quintet back towards the cafeteria that was set up several levels above them.

"That would be nice... but, er, you really wouldn't be able to keep up." Sheila shrugged helplessly.

Teyla looked intrigued. "I will have to see this, I think."

"Exactly how fast can you run?" Rodney asked dismissively.

Sheila gave him a glare. "I can run almost four times as fast as an Olympic athlete."

"You can run almost 100 miles per hour?" the scientist blurted out, quite shocked.

"That is quite fast, is it not?" Teyla asked which John nodded in answer to her question.

"Quite," John drawled while raising an eyebrow at Sheila. "What made you decide to go through with the Ancient schooling?"

"They weren't _born_ with all that knowledge, so they had to learn it somewhere." She rolled her eyes back at him theatrically. Duh.

"That does make an eloquent amount of sense. Brilliant. I wonder why I didn't think of it?" Rodney asked himself as everyone ignored him.

* * *

The Stargate in the Atlantis gate room activated with a explosion of quasi-water. The 'unscheduled' gate-in alarms suddenly sounded and marines ran into the room and aim their weapons at the gate. The shield comes on over the gate. In Atlantis's Control Room, Doctor Elizabeth Weir enters and walks over to a male technician on one of the portable computers.

"It's Major Sheppard's I.D.C!" the technician pronounces.

"They've only been gone a few hours," Elizabeth says worriedly.

The overhead radio crackles to life. "Atlantis, this is Sheppard. We're coming in hot."

"Lower the shield!" Elizabeth ordered with a set expression on her face.

She moves to the balcony as more marines run into the gate room and aim their weapons at the gate. The shield flicker away. Seconds later, energy blasts start to come through the active gate. A marine on the steps directly in front of the gate dives for cover. Several more blasts come through, sending another marine diving out of the way, then John, Aiden, Rodney and Teyla run through the Gate.

They turned around for some reason and stare back at the gate.

"Raise the shield!" Elizabeth orders from above.

A final energy blast comes through the gate, striking McKay in the face. He cries out and collapses as the shield comes on over the Star Gate.

"McKay!" John calls out. He and Ford run over to him and roll him carefully onto his back as the gate shuts down.

"Medical team to the Gateroom!" the director of the expedition calls out.

Jon presses his fingers against Rodney's neck. "I've got a pulse!"

Thank God, Elizabeth though to herself.

Meanwhile, down many levels in the 'Nursery' Sheila was still continuing her five tracks of education when she suddenly flung herself out of the way of a Wraith stunner, cartwheeling to her feet across the room. You could not tell who was more surprised, Sheila or the Wraith, as they looked over at each other.

The Scion of Athena grabbed the walkie-talkie that John had insisted she carry when she was down here by herself. "Sheila here. Under Wraith attack in the Nursery," she said while calmly twisting around in three blurs to avoid being shot again.

Everyone in the gate room looked up at that, as they could hear the sound of energy discharges through the walkie-talkie.

"Damn it! Ford! With me! Come on men!"

Back in the Nursery, the Wraith was looking at her in barely restrained anger. "What are you? How did you react to that attack?" he snarled in frustration. This was supposed to be a simple snatch of the human that dared learn the Ancient technology.

"I'm Sheila, daughter of the Goddess of War and Wisdom. And I actually have no idea on how I did that. I just moved before it could hit me. I knew I had good reflexes, but that takes it to a whole new level," she replied while calmly dodging another attack.

"So you are another worshiper of the Ancients as gods." The Wraith snorted. "We destroyed them and we'll destroy your people also."

"I am not related to the Ancients. I have met my mother and as far as I can tell, she _is_ quite capable of miracles," she continued even as the Wraith started to back towards the door. "Trying to escape? That won't work. I can _easily_ outrun you."

"But you aren't attacking me," he sneered back.

"I don't have a weapon. That means two things; I need to acquire a few of them and I need unarmed combat training. That's all. You still can't hurt me." She followed him out into the corridor as she continued to dodge his attacks.

The Wraith looked over as he heard the stomping of boots running towards them from up above. The Scion took his momentary distraction to take a strong grip on a railing and rip it off the nearby overlook with a low crack of broken metal.

"That's much better!" she said happily. She then charged him, leaping over the Wraiths next stunner and lashing out in a blur as she used the rod as a bo staff.

So it was the sight of the five foot three girl beating the hell out of a six foot two Wraith that met John and Aiden's sight when they made it to the Nursery level. The staff smashed into his arm, sending his stunner flying, then his stomach and then three times on his head.

"Why is there a Wraith on Atlantis?" Sheila asked in a too calm voice as she stood over the unconscious Wraith.

"That, lady, is a very good question," Aiden said as he looked at her in wide-eyed surprise. It was one thing for her to _say_ she was superhumanly strong and fast, it was quite another to actually see it.

"Sheppard to Atlantis, the Wraith has been captured. Henderson is fine too," he reported back to Elizabeth.

"Where did you get that?" one of the marines asked, pointing at her staff.

"I ripped if off that railing over there," she said with a shrug. "I think I need a personal weapon." The soldier winced at that.

"Anyone that has a Wraith specifically attacking them probably does. I'll see about getting you your pistol back," John said even as he and another marine took the knocked out Wraith between them.

* * *

"So we think this Wraith has been here for over a month? This is an intelligence disaster," Bates exclaimed. The sergeant seemed about to explode.

"This is very bad," Weir nodded to John, McKay, Teyla and Sheila in the 'conference' room. "So we need more information on him."

"He also must have some form of FTL communication that we can't detect. I queried the gate room computer console and it detected no hyperspace communication devices. And we found no communication devices on him," Sheila noted.

McKay frowned. "So, he hid it somewhere. Big deal."

"Or we just don't understand how to see it," Elizabeth countered.

"Or its innate to the Wraith itself. Like a biological transmitter that's within his body or racial telepathy. If it is biological or telepathic in nature, that probably means that open a wormhole allows him to 'radio' home on the nearest Wraith." Sheila seemed to be quite calm and then smiled. "I _did_ find a few small local bugs within the gate room and cleared them out, so they can't see what gate addresses we are now going to." She looked around, then frowned. "Why is there a low range beacon in this room."

Everyone shared a quick glance. "No one here would have a beacon."

"Actually... Teyla? I think that necklace is giving off the beacon." Sheila was still frowning.

"This thing? It is just a trinket that I had from my home," she replied as she handed it over.

"Isn't that the necklace I found in the ruins at Athos?" John asked. "I returned it to you then, I believe." Teyla nodded at that.

"Hmm. Cunning design. It's got a medical scanner to detect the Ancient Genes (several of them, by the way) and then set off a beacon. It is not Ancient design, I believe it is Wraith made." She looked at it harder. "I think you had better scan everyone for trinkets like this. I turned this one off."

"Why are you so unworried about this potential security leak?" Bates demanded of her. He was all set to accuse the Athosian until John mentioned he had found it and gave it back to her.

"I bet Dr. Weir knows."

"It's only a security leak if we didn't know about it. Now that we know about this and the Wraith, we have a lot more options," Elizabeth responded. "We could lure Wraiths into ambush."

"I like that idea. But now the Wraith know that Atlantis is back and if he can talk to them every time he opens a gate, we are still stuck not being able to send teams out," John said slowly as he drummed his fingers on the table.

"We'll have to knock him out then. Or put him in stasis."

"Oh, and we happen to have so many of those around that we know how to use," McKay snapped.

Sheila glared back. "They are considered standard emergency technology here. I'll help track one down and then we can stuff him in one."

"Nice! That solve either problem with him, but that leaves us with no solutions on other fronts. We still need an Alpha Site and our food issue is going to be fairly big soon," Elizabeth said as she looked over the people.

"Nobody has tried fishing?" Sheila asked in total surprise.

You could see the surprise in all of their faces as they thought that over. McKay was totally flabbergasted while John just groaned at the simple thought.

"Haven't you been eating your MREs?" Elizabeth asked. "You should have known that we don't have a local food supply."

"No, I ate two weeks ago. I should be fine for a while yet," she replied. She _was_ a bit hungry, now that she thought of it.

Everyone stared at her in surprise. Finally John spoke up. "Didn't you get a bite to eat four days ago?"

"No, I was just asking Dr. Beckett a question."

"Ah. Okay. So we need to figure out a way to fish and then explore more of the city. Then we can continue to explore through the Stargate once we have the Wraith in a stasis pod." Elizabeth looked over everyone. "Let's get back to work."

Sheila waited for everyone to leave, but stayed behind herself. "So, exactly what are you looking for?" she asked curiously.

"Some way to fix this city, useful access to the Ancient database, ways to protect us and a way back to Earth," Elizabeth finally said warily.

"Aye aye, kapitan!" she said with a salute and a horrendous naval accent.

Elizabeth snickered and nodded. "Well, back to the paperwork problems. An administrators job is never done."

* * *

"What are you doing," Rodney asked as he saw Sheila manipulating an Ancient computer console directly in the overlooking control room above the gate room. He and Radek Zelenka stopped by on their way to the Puddle Jumper bay.

"I'm taking a look at the Ancient database to see if it has any answers." She frowned. "Unfortunately, it looks like most of it is encoded and we don't have any real security rights."

"But we have access to the Stargate controls and the database," Rodney argued as he started thinking over the ideas.

"We have access to the local mass transit device and to a super-encoded database we can't use," she replied back coolly. "By the way, is there some reason why Earth doesn't have a standard Ancient dial device control?"

"Because we didn't have one. We had to use Earth computers to dial out." Rodney rolled his eyes theatrically.

Radek suddenly looked at her in confusion. "Excuse me, but how did you know that Earth's Stargate doesn't have a Dial Home Device?"

"Because it wasn't responding when I tried to query it through the gate network. Hmm. Are they monitoring the background data communications, do you know?" she asked curiously. "And what operating system are they using?"

"Wait a second, are you saying that the Stargates communicate without opening wormholes?" Rodney asked.

"Technically, no. But they have micro-wormholes they use to send bursts of data back and forth. Why open a full matter-transmitter connection when you are just going to send a message or verify there is air at the gate address?" Duh.

"But-" Rodney and Radek looked at each other in shock. "They are using a Crey XL Series system to monitor the background information on the Star Gate."

"Can you get us into communication with Earth?" Rodney asked as she continued to manipulate the Ancient 3D controls.

"Possibly. Let's see. In 2004, Crey was still using-" she started to mumble to herself. Suddenly a new 3D screen appeared, looking like a Command Line Shell in English. "That works. I'll have to hack their system a bit and then write a communication protocol so they can talk to us."

"Olsen, why don't you go get Dr. Weir and let her know that Sheila is contacting Earth right now," Radek said seriously. "I think our job today is going to get canceled." The gate technician took off running at full speed.

"How are you doing that? That's compile level code!" McKay complained as he watched her work.

She rolled her eyes. "What were you guys going to do?" she asked the Czehk Republic scientist.

"We were going to go over the Puddle Jumpers and figure out some more things. I had noted some extra control runs from the anterior control system. Different than the DHD device built in," Radek replied absently.

McKay was still watching in fascination as she built a larger and more detailed access. "You are adding a TCP/IP gateway?" he asked.

"Yes." On another 3D screen, the Puddle Jumper schematics popped up. "Oh, I see what you are talking about. Looks like a standard communication channel for... opening bay doors."

"Bay doors?" they asked in chorus.

That was when the ceiling above the Puddle Jumpers opened, along with the main gate room.

"Yeah, it's the garage door opener."

"So we can fly around on this planet, not just gating out! Useful!" Radek exclaimed.

That was when Elizabeth and John both showed up at a trot. "I understand that Sheila might be able to get us in contact with Earth?" she asked.

"Sure. I've got pretty thorough access to their computers on Earth that are connected to the gate," she replied with a shrug.

"How?" she asked.

"Oh, the gates are all linked like a swarm network. They can talk outside the swarm, but you have to configure that. I added a network gateway so you can just use your regular computers. It looks like they need to ventilate that room more. The sensors are saying the air is a little stale." She had a whole list of items showing in Ancient on the screen.

"You can _scan_ through the gate network?" John blurted. They would not need to use a remote drone to scan for air on the other side.

"Sure, they have scanners out to about one light hour, it looks like. Well, except for on Earth. That mountain is degrading their sensors a bit. Only about a light minute there."

* * *

"General O'Neill? I think we _might_ have a problem," Walter said in the SGC command room. There was a bouncing smiley face on his screen that was saying 'Upgrade from Atlantis arriving now!' He started typing furiously on his terminal.

"Why do I never like it when you say things like that?" Jack asked as he walked over. "Okay, that is different. Is that good or bad? Somebody get Carter on the line, now!"

"Hello, can you hear me? This is Dr. Weir at Atlantis to Star Gate Command," a female voice said over the overhead radio. "Can they hear me?"

Jack looked over at the Star Gate to check that it indeed _was_ still inactive. He was handed a phone. "Carter! I've got an impossibility or a prank going on. I've got supposed communication with Atlantis... without the gate being dialed."

"It looks like our computers that dial are being hacked externally somehow, sir," Walter replied helpfully as he continued to type away.

"Walter says our computers have been hacked. Did you cut the outside communication," Jack continued over the phone line to Carter who happened to be at home. "Yes, it does seem impossible, but that isn't stopping them." The general frowned when Walter nodded that he had cut the computer communication.

"Why aren't they responding?" Elizabeth's voice said over the overhead speakers again. "Oh, they haven't _tried_ to speak to us. General O'Neill, this isn't a prank, we really are talking to you through the gate network."

"Get here as soon as possible, Carter. Over and out. Dr. Weir? How is it that you are talking to me through the Stargate without it having dialed?" Jack said suddenly after he hung up.

"The Stargates talk to each other in the background with micro-wormholes. They normally don't draw a lot of power, though we have to use a Naquadah Reactor to talk cross-galaxies," Elizabeth explained.

"So why are you hacking my gate computer," Jack asked bluntly.

"It's because Earth doesn't have a normal DHD, General O'Neill. Luckily, we have an... expert that was able to cobble up a connection through your gate computer's passive sensors." There was a pause on the other side. "She says that she's not the first person to have done this, as it looks like someone else has been through this back door before."

"What?" Jack shouted furiously. He looked over to Walter, who just shrugged his shoulders.

"Sheila's going to rewrite your system so it can't be hacked this way again. Though she would like you to leave a network gateway open so that we can email and send voice messages. What was that, Sheila?" Elizabeth's voice stopped for a bit. "General O'Neil, it appears the gate computer has been compromised several times. There are three hardware chips and two subroutines. One of those chips is _not_ human technology, as it is storing the entire Stargate Command computer network on it."

"Oh, for crying out loud. The Goa'uld?" Jack was starting to be incredibly angry at this.

"No, she says it is too subtle for them and way more advanced. It would have to be someone that is more technically advanced by a great degree," she replied. "I guess the Asgard would make sense. Perhaps we should ask them?"

Jack thought that over. "Right. Well, it's good to hear from you. We were getting really worried there."

"General O'Neill!" Walter blurted out from his computer screen. His eyes were wild as the words 'Ancient Database' downloading.

"I look forward to reading your reports," Jack said with a grin, feeling years younger as he watched the computer.

* * *

"Well, that was a bust," Sheila complained to herself. "The best connection back to Earth would last one tenth of a second, even super-charging the Stargate for over a day." And there was no way that she could hack the entire Ancient database, even if she was downloading it to Earth slowly. It would take several days (and storage upgrades on the other side) for it to be transmitted.

Elizabeth and John looked over at her in surprise. "You were trying to connect us up to the Earth directly? But we knew we didn't have enough power to do that."

"I had to double check the numbers that you used to get to that informed decision. You don't _need_ a ZPM, but you do need a lot more energy than these baby reactors can generate. I'm going to go check out the secondary and tertiary power systems here." She stood up and walked out.

John started to follow, but Elizabeth stopped him. "She has her radio, so let her go. I think she's _very_ focused on a set of tasks and I don't want to distract her."

"Tasks? When did she get assigned to that?" Rodney complained as he tried to figure out how she had gotten that connection going.

"At least we are able to fly around on the planet now." Radek opened the ceiling doors for Elizabeth's perusal.

* * *

Teyla and the Athosians were gathered in one of their rooms.

"So their people have discovered land here? But we also wish to explore the city of the ancestors!" called out a belligerent man.

Teyla shook her head. "No one is asking us to leave, though they are exploring with an eye to harvest foods. And Doctor Weir says that with contact back with Earth, it is only a matter of time for help or supplies to be sent to us."

"So things are improving?" a woman said.

"Yes, it appears so. With the capture of the Wraith and its imprisonment in the Ancestors device, they have been able to go to other worlds again without immediately running into the Wraith." Teyla seemed quite happy about that, as it had been becoming obvious that Bates was thinking the Athosians were a security leak, even if he had not said anything yet.

"We do not know the devices of this city, but we could be useful in this fishing and with the lands we could explore for foods and supplies." That male seemed pleased with that. "We wish to be a partner in this deal."

"I do believe that Doctor Weir would agree to this," Teyla explained. "We do have skills and knowledge that can help these people from far away." She seemed to consider things for a moment. "And our children could learn like the daughter of the goddess, in the Nursery in the ways of the Ancestors. As she said, even the Ancestors had to learn everything they knew as children themselves."

"Would Doctor Weir and Major Sheppard allow this?" another of the Athosians asked.

"We have just as much right to be here as they do, as they are our Ancestors too!" Teyla pronounced.

"Yet they feel that we are primitives and only able to help with menial things," argued another. "We have no desire to be servants to them."

"Then we must prove to them that we, too, can learn things of the Ancestors!"

* * *

Sheila reached into a vat of cooling water, pulling out a sword. With a flick, she shed the water and flowed into a sword form designed for the long blade. She nodded and then pulled out a sheath from the same, technological pool of water. "That seems to work. Though I'm sure that the Ancients would complain bitterly about making such a primitive weapon using a nanite forge." She set the sword across her back.

She then walked across the dark room and pulled out a four foot by six foot curved rectangle and set it up against a metal tank. It sealed up against existing seams that glowed, leaving thirty foot long high pressure tank that had been labeled already with standard OSHA signs for carrying explosive gasses.

Then she grabbed a couple of hand holds and lifted the huge item with a grunt of exertion. It took a bit of effort to get through doors and up the different catwalks, seemingly wandering randomly. It was after about twenty minutes of her circuitous path that she saw an Athosian child stare at her from above on a catwalk.

"What are you doing?" the young boy asked.

"I'm carrying this to the outside, so that I can take it someplace in a Puddle Jumper," she replied. She set the tank back down with a loud clank to open the last door to an upper catwalk above the pounding serf.

"Can I come with you?" he asked. He'd wanted to fly in one of the Ancestors devices for quite a while.

"Probably not, as I will have to leave for over a day, I believe."

"A _day_? That is so long! It only takes a minute to go through the gate!" the boy bubbled aloud.

Sheila made sure the tank wasn't going to roll around, then turned to him. "Would you like a piggy-back ride up to the command center?"

"What's that?" he asked innocently.

* * *

"WEEEEEEE!" screamed a young Athosian boy as Sheila skidded to a halt. "So fast! Can we do that again?"

Sheila shook her head and let him go so he could slide down. "No, I've got work to do yet. Oliver? We have a free Puddle Jumper, right?"

"Several. But you aren't cleared for gate travel," the technician in the control room said.

"I'm not going through the gate. I'm filling a fuel tank her for Atlantis, but I need the Puddle Jumper for the heavy lifting."

"Well, I guess that's okay then. Can you pilot it?" the technician asked seriously. "We don't have a spare pilot right now."

"I think so." She shrugged without a seeming care in the world. Sheila headed to the Puddle Jumper bay and opened one to get in. She put her hands on the control console.

"What's taking so long, Henderson?" Oliver asked.

"Finishing pre-flight. It's complaining that it hasn't had a proper maintenance in 10,000 years. So it's being cranky," she replied as the back hatch lifted up. The Puddle Jumper floated to the center of the room as the door opened up.

"Be sure to check back within two hours," Oliver said, feeling relieved as the ship moved with machine-like precision.

"Disengaging auto-dock protocols. I'm clear for lift of. Lifting off," Sheila called out as the Puddle Jumper wobbled a bit as it lifted straight up.

Oliver winced, then sighed. He had better follow the Puddle Jumper for a bit to make sure she is all right. She rocketed off and then started zig-zagging around for about ten minutes, seemingly in random control. He was about to call on her to tell her that the Puddle Jumpers were not for playing around when it snapped around and headed back to Atlantis in a very controlled curve.

It hovered for about ten minutes and then headed straight up... and up... and up.

"Atlantis to Henderson, where exactly are you headed?" Oliver finally asked as she was leaving the atmosphere.

"The gas giant in this solar system. Where else did you think I was going to get deuterium?" was her response. "I should be back in about a day. Henderson out."

Oliver swore to himself, much to the other technician's private amusement. "I guess I'll go tell Dr. Weir about this latest development."

* * *

It was a day later when Sheila signaled that she was entering the atmosphere.

"This is Dr. Weir, Sheila. How was your prospecting trip?" the administrator asked in the gate room's control area.

"Pretty good. I have about twenty tons of fuel grade helium for the city's tertiary power plant. With another three trips, we can get fusion plant number six back online. That will quadruple our power locally. Well, as long as we don't lose any more Naquadah reactors. Then things will probably speed up a bit," she replied.

"Yet we can run it with just one ZPM," Elizabeth noted across the link. John nodded from the back of the room.

"That's pretty much a crapshot and a lot of blind luck. I'm not a big fan of luck. It's too easy for it to, well, crap out at the last moment," she noted absently as she concentrated on flying the Puddle Jumper to as close to the number six fusion plant.

"Quadruple? That's fairly decent. But I take it that it isn't as fuel efficient as a ZPM," Rodney said as he started to think what he could learn about the tertiary power plant.

"As soon as I figure out how to make or charge up a ZPM, I'll let you know," was the barbed reply.

"Good luck! I haven't found any references to how to do that in the Ancient database," he snarked back in pure McKay mode.

John had to hide his laugh as he could almost here the derision in Sheila's voice.

"Do you think the Ancients were stupid enough to leave casual access to military secrets out in plan sight?" she asked the scientist. "It's not like any Earth countries leave nuclear technology specifications on the Internet." Duh.

Elizabeth cleared her throat to interrupt Rodney before they got in a full blown argument. "Sheila, we'd like to set up a video conference with you and some of the Area 51 and SGC scientists to go over the changes you did to their gate computer."

"Didn't they check the change-log? I documented everything I did," she replied.

"They did, but they were wondering how you managed to write megabytes of compile level code for their system and what tools you used," she replied.

"Oh. They aren't going to like my answer. But I guess I can talk to them for a bit after I finish this unloading," she replied.

Elizabeth shared a raised eyebrow with John and Aiden. Why would they not like her answer?

* * *

"Hello, I'm Lt. Colonel Samantha Carter. This is Dr. Ulickmien, Dr. Rehnquist and Major Hauptmann. You're Dr. Henderson?" the blonde officer asked through the video screen.

"I don't have a doctorate yet, so just Miss Henderson. Or Sheila if you want to be informal." Sheila smiled as she kept one eye on the computer as she did some research while talking to them.

"Miss Henderson, we would be obliged if you could tell us the tools you used to compile and rebuild the Star Gate Command computer network. It's been remarkably improved in efficiency since you reworked it when you reestablished contact with Earth," the major asked. He was a serious looking man with dark hair and trim, military mustache and almost black eyes.

"I didn't use any tools." She sighed at that.

Sam just looked a bit confused. "I'm not sure I followed that. You are saying you didn't use any software tools to rewrite our system? That doesn't seem very likely. And the documentation you provided has been amazingly thorough."

Ulickmien nodded. "Yes, we just want to procure the same tools and hire experts in that system."

"I wrote that code bare-brained, Lt. Colonel. I know you think that isn't really possible, but you know that there are intelligences that have capabilities beyond your own. You even know a few of them, like the Asgard and the Ancients."

They four scientists on the opposite side of the conference shared a quick look, but then nodded. Elizabeth and John shared their own quick look. That explained why the Area 51 and SGC scientists were not going to like her answer.

Sam shuffled her papers, bringing up a document. "According to the non-disclosure and assignment forms you filled out, you are a citizen of the United States of America, yet all our records show a very bright, young girl that passed away about six months ago of 'cellular degradation.' Now, you mentioned that you were from a different quantum reality. Do you know how you survived quantum cascade failure?"

Sheila's expression suddenly looked horrified. "I killed my dimensional analogue by surviving quantum degradation?"

"Could you explain that a bit more thoroughly?" Dr. Rehnquist asked.

"I became very sick and nearly died after I arrived at the planet I ended up on. I would surmise that my super-human toughness allowed me to survive the cascade failure by sending a feedback into my twelve year old self." Sheila had to turn away. "I didn't even realize I'd killed her. My parents must have been devastated."

"Do you need a minute, Sheila?" Sam asked, cutting of the other scientists.

"Yes, please." After a few minutes, she looked up at Elizabeth's worried expression as the administrator put her hand on her shoulder. Sheila quickly took a glass of water and downed it. "Thank you. I'll try... to make up for her loss by doing everything I can here."

"If she was anything like you are, I'm sure she would appreciate that immensely," the Lt. colonel said softly. "We have been in contact with the Asgard and they admitted that they were keeping an eye on us through that one chip. The other leaks appear to be N.I.D. security. We managed to get a couple of their moles within our maintenance staff. The President would like to extend his appreciation for you efforts in helping us stop that behavior."

"We understand that you are repairing a tertiary power system on Atlantis. Could you give us a small briefing on that?" Dr. Ulickmien asked.

"Certainly. After verifying the status of the tertiary and secondary power grids, I deduced that the thermal-electron flow fusion reactor number six was fixable in the immediate future." She sent them a diagram of what she was working with. "I think Earth could potentially build one of these quite easily and they would resolve most of the world's power issues within a few years."

All of the scientists on the SGC end were looking over the information with interest. "Direct thermal-electron induction? That could be used as a cooling system too," Sam noted happily. "And I think we can actually build one of these at Area 51 in short order as a crash project. We might be able to reopen a galactic Stargate again if we can do that."

Sheila noted to herself that the resources they had were actually greater than she had deduced. "Once we get that online, we'll be able to start repairing the other tertiary reactors."

"What about the secondary reactors?" Sam asked.

"I'm still wrapping my head around the concept of Neutrino Ion Reactors, so that might take a bit longer. I think its a limitation on my understand of hyper-physics." Sheila lied as coolly as she could. She had no doubt that she could get them fixed, but she needed almost three months to do that.

Elizabeth did her best job of hiding her expression. If the young woman had a good reason to lie about that, then it was best to ask about that privately.

They went over several more items, but then Sam and the other scientists had to leave.

"Sheila, a moment, please?" Elizabeth made a small shooing hand gesture to John. After he left, she continued. "Is there a reason that you weren't fully truthful on the Neutrino Ion Reactors?"

"Those _have_ to be a last ditch effort, as I don't think they can run the city at full power but will probably stand out to a long distance scan that the Wraiths can probably spot us. So we'll be a visible target with a bit of dangerous power and not enough power to actually back it up." Sheila shrugged. "And I don't want people to be dependent on it if it came down to it."

"I seen. That makes a certain sense. So I take it you have a plan?" she asked back.

"I have the beginning of a tactic and stratagem. And it involves keeping the Wraith in the dark for as long as possible. Luckily, we have one advantage that the Ancients didn't." Sheila had a very bright grin on her face.

"Oh and what is that?" Elizabeth asked curiously.

"We aren't pacifists that don't know how to fight our way out of a paper bag." Sheila's eyes were very hard at that pronouncement.

Doctor Elizabeth Weir nodded slowly, suddenly worried about this superhuman, young girl.

* * *

"And activate!" Sheila said. With a hum, the large fusion plant came alive. "And diagnostics says that we are good! We now have limited power all across the city."

In the control room, there was a cheer from the civilian scientists. "That's great, Sheila. How much power will it be generating for us?"

"About a hundredth of what a ZPM can produce," she replied.

"So if we had a hundred of these, we could get back to Earth?" Rodney exclaimed. He had been pouting a bit since the last meeting, as it seemed Elizabeth had asked Sheila more questions than him. And his latest adventure with Sheppard's team to the world with only children had been taxing.

"Actually, you only need about a third of the power output per second of a ZPM to open a Stargate between galaxies. But we have six, not thirty-three. So that's a no go. We don't have the time nor the room to build thirty more of these to get home. But we can start to use more of Atlantis." Sheila was rapidly working with the Ancient control panels in the manufacturing bay as robotics started to combine into more useful armatures for her. "I'm going to start working on Reactor Four and then Reactor Two."

She was still working several days later when her radio chimed. "Sheila here," she replied.

"This is Dr. Weir. I want to talk to you about sending you through the Stargate."

"What's going on?" she asked.

"Major Sheppard thinks that the people of Hoff might have a serum that can protect people from the feedings. And he mentioned that you have medical _and_ advanced biology training. So he'd like you to accompany Dr. Beckett and Major Sheppard's team."

* * *

John Sheppard's team, together with Doctor Beckett, is walking along the dark corridors in a complex on the planet Hoff.

"It's not that I mind lending people a hand..." Carson Beckett was saying, trailing off.

"No, of course not." John was trying not to amused at the situation.

"You're a generous man, Carson," Rodney said as he watched Sheila as she pulled herself together after passing through the wormhole.

"...but it's the principle of the thing, isn't it? You can't go volunteering someone for something without consulting them first. That's not even volunteering, is it? It's being pressed into service. Not to mention the fact that I'm not..." Carson continued to complain as they walked along.

"...not military, so I can't give you orders. I know." John was starting to get upset.

"Nonononono... he just doesn't like going through the Stargate," the Canadian scientist said with a smug tone. "I mean Sheila has a much worse reaction than you do and she didn't even bat an eye."

"He's worse than Doctor McCoy," John said with a grimace. "And he's right about Sheila. She actually _has_ problems going through the Star Gate."

"Doctor Who?" Teyla asked.

"That's a different character. The TV character that Doctor Beckett plays in real life is the one that complains about matter transporters." John winked at Teyla when she just got a bit more confused.

"Converting a human body into energy and sending it millions of light years through a wormhole... bloody insanity!" Carson complained.

"C'mon, how often do you get to travel to an alien planet?" Rodney asked.

"I was already on an alien planet!" the Cheif Medical Officer of Atlantis exclaimed loudly.

"Doctor, please!" Sheila asked with a pleading tone. "I think the Stargate is starting to figure out how to transport me without side affects, but I'm still feeling pretty woozy. Have I stopped glowing?"

"Aye, you have. That reminds me, I always see you using the Ancient devices, but you don't have the Gene. How does that work?" Carson asked conversationally.

"Oh, I'm hacking them directly. I can talk to active computers." Sheila visibly perked up at that point.

That stopped Rodney. "You can just _talk_ to computers? That is so unfair!"

* * *

In the Hoffan's science labs, Carson is walking around the lab looking at things. He picks up a rack of test tubes to study them intently. It's very clearly early 20th century in technology with just test tubes, bunsun burners, papers and books everywhere.

"Should you be messing with that stuff?" John asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I know what I'm doing, Major, thank you. From the looks of things they've mastered a few basics... biochemistry, physiology, perhaps even some form of molecular biology. Fairly impressive considering..." Carson was nattering on.

"No, actually he shouldn't be messing with someone _else's_ lab. It's really rude," Sheila said.

That was when a female Hoffan scientist interrupts him. "This is our people's legacy. This room represents hundreds of years of medical knowledge. I am Perna, chief scientist for the project." She was a very pretty, blond woman wearing a white outfit.

John, Rodney and Carson all seem taken with her. "John Sheppard. Uh, and this is Teyla..."

Smiling in a very love-struck manner, the CMO of Atlantis spoke up, "Carson. Beckett. Doctor. I mean, call me Carson."

"I'm, uh, Doctor McKay, Doctor Rodney McKay." Rodney hold out his hand for her to shake, but she seems to not understand the meaning.

"And I'm Sheila Henderson. Our people exchange greetings by clasping opposing limbs to show that we do not carry weapons and so come in peace," Sheila said as she held out her hand to shake.

"I hope you will find our facilities suitable." Perna seemed taken with the young girl as they shook hands.

"Oh, the facility is quite charming! Perfectly charming!" Carson said quickly.

"Why did you bring your child with you?" she finally asked as she looked over the group.

"I'm actually a scientific advisor for Atlantis. It's a bit complicated, but Dr. Carson and I are here to see if we can help with your chemical solution to the Wraith feeding off of us." Sheila smiled winningly.

Perna gave her a surprised look, but smiled diplomatically.

* * *

While John and the rest of the team are given a tour of the archives, Perna takes down a book from the top of a cupboard and brings it over to show to Carson and Sheila. "His name was Ferrel Mylan. Before he died in the last culling, he was one of our most celebrated medical researchers. He was the one who found it."

"Found what?" Carson asked curiously while Sheila listened intently.

She opens the book carefully. "The key. His journals tell of one man who survived an encounter with the Wraith. Ferrel and his team discovered that this man possessed a unique protein, one that enabled him to resist the chemical released by the Wraith to precipitate draining of life from their victims. After painstaking trial and error..."

"Ferrel made a copy of the protein!" the CMO of Atlantis exclaimed happily.

"And then he was eventually able to create a prototype of a drug designed to interfere with the Wraith feeding process," the young Hoffan scientist explained fervently.

"And it worked?" The Scottish doctor seemed very intrigued.

"And managed to preserve samples of it for future use, even more importantly." Sheila was thinking rapidly over several different ideas.

"Ferrel was killed before the drug could be used to defend Hoff."

"Well, let's see what we can do to maximize what we can from his research," Sheila said seriously. "Don't you agree, Doctor Carson?"

"I do!"

* * *

"It's feasible. Very feasible. I can already see several ways that we can improve this and possibly expand to protect hundreds of planets within a very short time," Sheila was explaining in the Atlantis conference room.

"Now, we're getting ahead of ourselves," Carson said. "While it seems to work, we would have to test it on living Wraith cells."

Elizabeth looked between the two as Rodney, John and Teyla watched closely. "Do you know what you are asking, Dr. Beckett?"

"I do!"

"We don't need to use it on our prisoner. I've cultured some Wraith cells by allowing them to feed on human plasma. So they are really alive. I'm more worried that I'm seeing some signs of toxicity in sixty percent of our human samples that I held back as control. It can _kill _the Wraith, but if it kills that large of a percentage its going to be a big choice for who ever uses it." Sheila looked over at Carson curiously. "But the serum needs to be carried into the cells more efficiently. It's not very effective right now."

"Both parts _are _worrisome. The Hoffan don't have the ability to advance their experiments across several cycles like that," Carson finally admitted.

"I'm not sure I could condone killing that many humans in a hope that they will become immune to the Wraith," Elizabeth said slowly.

Teyla shook her head. "Even that large of our population would be a fraction of what the Wraith take during their cullings."

"And the Wraith have awoken out of their regular schedule. That's the problem of being an super-predator that needs to eat regularly. You can easily outgrow your food supply."

"Continue your investigations. I want to know if it is toxic to humans first."

* * *

Sheila continued to work back in Atlantis while Dr. Beckett wanted to work on Hoff. But it was only a week later that Sheila was knocking on Elizabeth's office door. "Dr. Weir? I've got our solution, but there is a snag."

"Go on," the administrator said, gesturing to a chair.

"We can make it a synthetic enzyme, but there's a large subset of humanity that isn't compatible. Including anyone carrying the Ancient Gene." Sheila shrugged. "We could attempt a two tier inoculation, using Dr. Beckett's experimental genetic treatment and then the serum. But you'd lose your teams ability to access Ancient technology through the racial level access controls."

Elizabeth looked frustrated. "Well, we can give the Hoffan's our information. How soon can you have the genetic treatment ready?"

"I've already done that." Sheila held up several vials. "I may even have a plan that we can use to start supplying human colonies across the galaxy in a timely manner." She handed over a data disk. "I've got to get back. I'm almost ready to get the final fusion plant back online."

Elizabeth whistled at that. "You were still working on that? I'm impressed."

"It's mostly automation at this point. All the deuterium tanks are full and we should be able to access most of Atlantis pretty easily. Then I'll be going out to the L3 point on the opposite side of this sun to tow a large defense satellite into position and hopefully repair it."

"Dr. Grodan had mentioned that it was out there. You think you can get it fully functional?" she asked.

Sheila nodded. "I believe so. And I'm going to give the silly thing some point defense. The Wraith are very fond of fighter swarms, so you have to have a very redundant CIWS system. And if we can get it in place on a large satellite like that, we will be much more defensible."

* * *

It was a few days later that the good news had been heard from Hoff. The inoculations after the genetic treatment had been taken, it was found to only have a two percent fatality. The response from the entire population was heartfelt and unanimous. They would all take the treatment.

Dr. Beckett returned with the rest of John's team, wondering if making them immune to the cullings was a good idea. He was sitting down to eat when Sheila came in. "Dr. Beckett!" she called out as she sat next to him.

"Sheila! I have to say, the work you did here was top notch. Especially the genetic treatment to make everyone more compatible with the enzyme," Carson said with a smile. "Everyone on Hoff can't stop praising your work. They've agreed to keep producing the serum as much as possible to put out to any planet that wants it."

"Thanks. I _think_ I might be able to actually induce that into part of the human genome out here. It's pretty amazing. The Ancients were looking for something like this and then natural selection managed to do it on its own. Dr. Weir thinks we should probably look at a larger scale immunization." Sheila popped a bit of the white fish meat into her mouth. "Yum!"

"What about the worry that the Wraith might just wipe out any populations that are immune to the feedings?" Carson said in a worrying tone.

"That's why you give them the choice. You don't tell them what to do," she replied seriously. "Did you hear that the Athosians are asking for their children to be taught in the Nursery?"

"That makes good sense. It's a long term plan worth implementing," the doctor replied as he looked over the idea.

"But they need the Ancient gene to really be able to do anything. How is that coming along?" she asked casually.

"I haven't gotten to the point of human trials on that. Though with your research notes, maybe a couple weeks to give everyone here the Ancient gene," he replied as he started to think things over his head.

"Then they can start getting a truly _'classical'_ education," Sheila said with a quirky grin.

* * *

Sheila's walkie-talkie squawked.

"This is Dr. Weir. Sheila, can you come to the conference room?"

"Sure. On my way!" She took off at a sprint, passing people in a blur, something that some of the scientists and soldiers had not gotten used to. The children of Athos just laughed and called out greetings as she zipped past them.

"That was pretty quick. Ran the entire way?" Elizabeth asked. "Major Sheppard here has dropped us into interesting water. He's gotten his team into a sticky situation with a group called the Genii, who are attempting to make nuclear weapons."

"We were negotiating for food-stock but when they asked us to sell them C4 explosives we got a bit curious. We found out that they have these huge underground bunkers where they hunker down during the cullings. Once we found their nuclear breeder reactor, they got a bit hot and bothered. The only reason they didn't shoot us is that we have the ability to actually trigger nuclear super-critical explosions and we can help them with that. And they have access to Wraith intelligence." John seemed very intent. "With us working together, we could possibly take out any Wraith ships on their way here."

"And I'm going along as a technical expert?" she asked curiously.

"Right."

"You really should be kept on a shorter leash. How does a negotiation for food turn into a tense diplomatic incident with nukes on the table?" Sheila asked quizzically with wide open eyes.

"Hey! We were just showing them how to remove a stump with explosives!" John defended stridently.

* * *

Sheila looked at the fission reactor from above. "They do know how unshielded that is, right?"

"Yes, they do. But they feel confident they will be fine." John just shrugged to her.

The Genii soldiers with them pushed John a bit, heading them towards the conference room. One of them had her pistol and sword over her shoulder.

"Sheila!" Rodney called out. "This is another of our experts in physics. I was explaining to them what they need to trigger their atomic bombs, and they showed us a downed Wraith fighter they can access."

"Is this for real?" the older officer of the Genii named Cowen asked with derision.

"Yes. My age has nothing to do with how smart or knowledgeable I am," Sheila said with determination.

"And the one to claim she has the ability to talk to any computer?" he said with a snort of contempt.

"Any computer that is turned on, yes."

A high tech device was tossed in the center of the table. She looked at it and concentrated. "Ooh, Wraith." She pulled out her palm pilot and was busy looking between the two. "Several Wraith Hive Ship locations and astrogation charts, standard communication processes and information for avionics. Not a lot more than that. It's only a black box of a fighter, after all. It does say there were a young girl and an adult female were pulled up in the culling beam, but it estimates they are dead."

All the Genii were looking at her as if she were growing a second head. "There is no way that she could have known the numbers and sex of the people that were pulled up in its culling beam."

"Perhaps your claims are not exaggerated," Cowen said slowly. "She should come with us when we scout the Hive Ship."

"After I saw her capture a Wraith that tried to ambush her, she can have my back," John said heartfeltedly. "I should get you on my team permanently now that Lt. Ford has his own team."

"I should probably _be_ on your team to keep you out of trouble," she grumbled.

Teyla had a soft smile on her face as she listened to them banter. "I have to say that Cp. Manning has not meshed very well. No offense, Manning."

"No offense taken. A sign of a good team player is realizing when your the odd man out on the team. I'm sure no matter where I'm assigned, I'll still have a lot of work to do."

They start to gearing up and has had their weapons returned, which makes John feel much better. The Genii start loading up on their own weapons.

"So, the plan is that we've got to get in and out as fast as possible," John finally said as he check the safety on his P90.

"I've been studying these plans all my life." Cowen was nodding though. Speed was of the essence.

John was glad they were finally on the same page. "Good. Then we'll follow your lead and keep you covered during the breach and download."

Manning looked over at John. "Evacuation or try to take them out?"

"This is just a scout mission, so same plan as we came in. Fast and stealthy. Manning, you get to stay with the Jumper," John explained.

"Roger!"

"I should be going with you," Sora said in a challenging voice.

"What skills do you add to this mission?" Sheila asked as she checked her sword, pistol and a stunner she had cobbled up.

"Sora is a skilled fighter and an expert marksman, child. Still, she must stay here to carry on if we don't come back," Cowen said with a serious look to the young woman.

Sora glares back at him, unwilling to stay behind for her duties. They all finish their preparations and head out. Tyrus turns and shares a long look with his daughter before he follows the others leaving her behind. They walk along the corridors towards the exit ladder.

"We need you to deliver the C4 you promised us, Major, before we proceed," Cowen said in a stern voice that could not quite hide his greed.

"We need to get the proper intel first. No use in building a bunch of nukes if you can't put them to use," John said with a very smooth manner.

"Those are your terms?" the Genii soldier snapped back.

"I'm sure you understand," John drawled.

"I do. It seems we have no choice but to trust each other," Cowen said with a hint of mockery under his respect.

* * *

"Sheila, quit with the Mission Impossible theme," John ordered.

"Spoilsport," she bantered back.

The Puddle Jumper zooms out the Stargate on a Wraith planet and immediately cloaked. Sheila is sitting next to John, giving him a quick rundown of some of the more exotic controls and feedback while he wears her extended spectrum glasses.

"How many of these ships do you have?" Cowen asked.

"Just the one," John lied smoothly.

"I _am_ working on a gunship variant and a fighter version. The Wraiths and Ancients had a pretty good idea with flying ships through the Stargate. I'm thinking of even building cargo modules for interworld transit. It would so totally beat the snot out of hyperspace," Sheila started nattering along nervously. She was hoping that she didn't glow much, but it appeared the Genii had not even noticed. John just glared at her, obviously wanting her to shut up.

Teyla spotted the huge Hive Ship through the windshield. "There."

"Have they awoken?" Cowen asked.

"I don't see any activity. Same as last time. Alright, here we go... right through the front door," John said with little hint of his nervousness.

"You'd think they'd have added a garage door already," Sheila said in a griping tone. John flew the Jumper towards the largest opening of the Wraith ship.

* * *

They land on a walkway inside the ship. John led the way out, the team becoming visible as they leave the protection of the cloak. They looked around cautiously, then John turns to Manning.

"We should be back in a few hours," John said. "Be ready to lift off at a moments notice."

"Roger!" the officer said.

The infiltrators makes their way through the ship, Cowen indicating which way they should go with hand commands that are very similar to what the Marines use. Finally they enter a large feeding chamber. Around the walls are the skeletal bodies of humans, wrapped in spiderweb-like cocooning.

"Oh, my God!" Rodney exclaimed with a gag. He leans over to check a body.

"I don't think he's here. I'll accept prayers though," Sheila said in a too lively tone, trying to break the mood.

"These people were cocooned for a later feeding. Some of them may still be alive." Teyla looked very nervous.

"We don't have time for this," Cowen complained.

"They could be your people for all you know. Alright, Teyla, take care of this. We'll meet you back at the ship. McKay and Sheila, you're with me." John started to walk off as Sheila pointed at six locations in the room quickly to Teyla.

"I'll stay with her. Go. We'll meet you back at the ship," Tyrus said to Cowen seriously as he handed over the interface device.

Cowen follows after John while glaring at his back. Teyla and Tyrus start to move towards the spots that Sheila had pointed out.

* * *

They reach a room blocked by a door shortly. Cowen said, "This is it, but the ship's plans I memorized did not include the details on how to operate this door."

"We try to blow this door, it's gonna make too much noise," John said seriously.

"Boys and their toys," Sheila quipped back with a smile. She started looking at the door and frame.

Rodney started scanning with a hand held device and starts checking out the area. The beeping from the scanner repeats more rapidly at one point.

"That's the sensor? Let me, please." Sheila looks at it intently at the wall. "They've added an alarm if the door opens." The door suddenly opened without an alarm.

Over the radio, Teyla calls them, "Major, we have been discovered."

That was when an alarm starts to go off all around them. Sheila sighed dramatically.

"We gotta get out of here. Sheila? Rodney?" John asked as he covered them downloading information in the room.

The Scion was holding her palm pilot. "Almost finished. I'm setting off alarms all over the ship and I've got a map of the ship." Sheila pulled out a silvery grenade like device. She starts to rapidly speak in the language of the Ancients.

"Sheila! It's _time_ to leave!" Rodney complained as he watches Cowen working on his own device.

Cowen and Rodney exit the room at a trot. John nods as they show the device that they had hooked up earlier. Sheila exited a moment later as the silvery globe rockets off in a different direction.

Teyla reaches the Puddle Jumper at a run. "Wraith guards!" she tells Manning in a breathless pant. "Hurry, more are coming!" she calls out when John, Rodney, Cowen and Sheila run up.

They all take their seats and the rear door closes. Cowen looks round and then suddenly demands, "Where's Tyrus?"

"He was struck by a Wraith weapon." Teyla's voice carried much hidden anger.

"But he may have only been stunned!" the Genii exclaimed.

"By now, the Wraith will be upon him," she replied coolly.

Suddenly, several blasts hit the back of the Puddle Jumper.

Cowen snarls to himself. "Go."

Sheila takes off at a rapid clip with narrowed eyes. The Puddle Jumper rockets forward as she communes with its petulant alarms and warnings from the stun hits on the back.

The Genii heads to the back of the ship as they rocket out of the hive.

"Major, did you want me to destroy that ship?" Sheila asks coldly.

John, Teyla and Manning all look at her in surprise. "If you can, do it."

"Transmitting."

Deep within the Wraith ship, the silvery globe suddenly rocketed out of the darkness and into a major reactor of the Hive Ship. With a whine, it suddenly powered up and exploded with massive force.

"What the hell was that?" John asked.

"Tactical Naquadah nuke. Grenade form. I'm still working on a useful grenade launcher that can fire it a far enough distance to not vaporize the user."

"That works."

* * *

"Where is my father?" Sora demanded as she and some soldiers walked up to the Puddle Jumper.

Cowen took a moment and then walked over to her and then looked down into her eyes. "He did not survive."

"How? What happened?" the young woman asked in a pained voice that tore at the listener.

"I think we should find out. Take aim!" Cowen calls out to all the Genii.

Genii appear all around them, most in uniform and carrying their rifles.

"Cowen, I thought we were just learning how to get along," John said softly as his team lowered their weapons in surrender.

"She killed Tyrus!" the solider that had accompanied them declared as an accusation.

"No," Teyla retorted.

"By leaving him to die, you may just as well have killed him yourself," he argued back.

"Getting all of us killed going back would have been really damn stupid!" Sheila retorted.

Cowen reached into Sheppard's pocket and took out the Wraith data device. "We will keep this intelligence information as payment for letting him die."

"You're making a big mistake," John said threateningly.

"And your ship, and whatever quantities of C4 you have in your possession," Cowen said with a sneer. The Genii around him nodded in agreement.

"That is all you ever intended. To use us," Teyla said, almost growling in anger.

"And for your efforts, I will spare your lives," he said magnanimously with a crooked grin.

Rodney said in his best, sarcastic tone, "How generous of you!"

"Guess the tava beans are off the table," John said with a sigh.

"Not a fan of beans anyways," Sheila noted.

"Your weapons," the officer declared.

"No, I don't think so," the major declared suddenly with a very strong determination.

"We have the advantage, Major." Cowen gestures around at all the Genii about them.

"Yeah," he drawled out.

"This is what your father died for? In the name of people who would lie and steal from those they would call friends?" Teyla demanded of Sora in a heated voice.

Sora's return glare did not waver, nor her pistol move from Teyla's chest.

"Well, I lied too. Jumpers Two and Three, execute," John said as he activated her radio.

Suddenly, two Puddle Jumpers decloaked right above them. From the distance a third ship appeared that looked very similar to a Puddle Jumper but had turreted weapon mounts on the front and sides.

"You didn't really think we had one ship, did you? Tell your people to get back and nobody get hurt. And Sheila's new toy can probably kill all of you before you blink," John ordered the Genii in a very no-nonsense tone of voice.

"One thousand pulses per second per barrel!" Sheila said with a small wave.

The Genii looked around up in worry. Cowen was caught in a momentary panick.

"Jumper Two, prepare to fire on my mark," the major ordered.

"Wait! Do you promise to leave?" he quickly blurted out.

"Well, that's the plan. Guess we'll have to go somewhere else to find our tava beans. But..." John took the data device from Cowen's hand "...I think it's only fair we end up with something."

"You do not want to make an enemy of the Genii!" he blustered back.

"You know what? Same here," John declared.

* * *

Doctor Grodin looked up where he was working on the Wraith storage device with Elizabeth looking over his shoulder. "Major, I thought you might like to see this," she called out.

"A lot of the information we downloaded from the data storage device was encrypted, so we're still working on that," Grodin explained.

"Yeah, I didn't think it would be easy," John said with a tired sigh.

"But we were able to ascertain the existence of twenty-one Wraith hives just in our quadrant of the Pegasus galaxy alone," the scientist continued.

"Twenty-one!?" he exclaimed. That was far beyond his wildest worst case scenario.

"And there are indications of far more elsewhere in Pegasus," he continued helpfully.

"How many more?" he asked while sharing a worried look at Elizabeth.

"Well, there's no way of knowing for sure. Perhaps sixty, or more."

"That's a lot of ships." John looked pensive and moody. General O'Neill was not going to like that report.

"There are two hundred and seventy Wraith hive ships with the Pegaus Galaxy within scanning range of the Stargates," Sheila said from across the room. "Most are showing signs of movement or activity."

"So even if we were to have helped the Genii build nuclear warheads-" Elizabeth started to say.

"-we only could have nuked a handful of them simultaneously." John really hated things like that.

"Exactly." The administrator of Atlantis looked as if the weight of the world was on her shoulders.

"There's far too many Wraith ships for a coordinated attack," Grodin pronounced.

"No, that's too many with the resources we currently have," Sheila corrected. "We have to act very, very intelligently or we'll end up like the Ancients did."

Across the solar system, robotic drones continued to work on the massive Ancient battle station.

* * *

"That is really one monster of a storm brewing," Sheila noted to herself. The Ancient computer system had flagged it as a Class IV storm... on a scale of one to twenty.

Of course, the fact that a Class V could cause tectonic movements and Class VI storms generally only existed on gas giants meant that this was a very powerful storm for a habitable planet.

Luckily, the sensors of Atlantis had given them a large warning time, so they have recalled everyone (and Sheila had recalled all her robotic minions) back to Atlantis. And hence the group meeting in the gate room by the science staff.

"Even with all six fusion generators, we can't activate the shield to sink beneath the waters," Elizabeth noted to herself. "So we had better figure out some way to protect the city."

Rodney was tapping away on a Dell notebook. "Well, we could channel the energy from the lightning bolts to the shields. It would take some work."

"I wonder if we could disrupt the storm?" Sheila muttered aloud. She found it was technically possible, but not within their current weapon systems power rating. They could probably weather the storm by reinforcing the city with low powered shields, but it could still break up.

"So we should evacuate the city except for essential personnel?" John asked seriously. "We do have a copy of the Ancient Database on Earth now."

"We still want to save the city if at all possible," Elizabeth countered.

"Hey, McKay, did you and your crews ever fix anti-grav ten?" Sheila called out, even as she pulled up another Ancient data screen.

"It needs more work. It'll probably hold in a microgravity environment, but nothing more than that," Rodney called back.

"I'd really rather avoid moving Atlantis out of the atmosphere right now," she called back.

"Why not? No atmosphere, no ocean, no worry about a storm, right?" he hollered back.

"And also would paint a pretty picture of 'come get me right now before we can really fix more of this Ancient city.' Or do you want to hurry the Wraith up to get here?" she called back.

"No, they can take as much time as they want," Rodney suddenly said in agreement.

"So we can't float, we can't move very fast and that's a monster of a storm. The six reactors _should_ be able to keep us together, but its possible we could still sink. That about sums it up. So I guess an evacuation of non-essential personnel does make sense."

"So what gate address should we use?" Aiden asked, turning away from where he was talking to his team.

* * *

Elizabeth, John, Teyla, Rodney and Sheila were among the few that were left on the planet. Stargate Command was informed of the location for the people to be picked up if Atlantis sank.

Sheila had gotten Atlantis to drift a little faster, but it was still going to be walloped by the storm even on the edge. John was with Elizabeth while Aiden had taken Teyla to pick up a few stragglers on the mainland. She was down in the secondary classes with her radio on, taking a little time to learn more through the schooling it gave.

Two marines are overlooking the Stargate while discussing important things.

"Bacon," the first guard said.

"The one thing you wish you brought with you is bacon?" the second guard replied.

"Hey, it's the food that makes other food worth eating!" the first one replied with mock sincerity.

"You wish you brought bacon to another galaxy?" the second guard asked incredulously.

"Yeah, you asked me-" Suddenly, the Stargate starts to dial in. "Off world activation!"

"Doctor Weir said no one should be coming back..." the second guard says as they run up to the controls and computers for the gate room.

The woman's voice over the radio informed them pleadingly, "There's been an attack on Manara. We've got wounded incoming. Lower the shield."

"They're broadcasting an Athosian I.D.C.," the first guard declared as he double-checked the controls.

"Please, before it's too late!" the females voice pleads.

"We are lowering the shield!" the first guard calls out.

"Oh, skip the okay from Doctor Weir!" the other guard grumbled as he sat himself down at the shield control.

"They're _under _attack. Lower the shield."

Without saying anything more in reply, the second guard lowers the shield. As soon as they've done that, both guards head down to the actual gate room. "Doctor Weir, there's been some sort of an attack from Manara. We have an Athosian party incoming with wounded."

Over the radio, Elizabeth replied. "We're on our way."

The two guards run down to meet the cloaked people coming through the gate. Mr. 'Bacon' guard asked, "What happened?"

"They were everywhere. I can't believe they didn't kill us all!" Sora declared in a fairly convincing manner.

"Who?" the second guard asked.

Kolya suddenly strikes, rolling off the stretcher and shoots the two guards with a pistol. Everyone else removes their cloaks to reveal Genii uniforms. Sora watches as a man checks the two guards. The Genii reports that they are dead, which upsets her.

"Secure the room," Koyla orders, ignoring her glare.

"These men could have been overpowered. We need the Atlanteans to be co-operative," Sora argued.

Again, he says, "Secure the room." He walks off without looking back.

"Cover the entrances!"

Five minutes later, John, Rodney and Elizabeth are taken prisoner as they run into the room, easily surrounded by the soldiers.

"Genii," John almost swore as he held up his hands.

"What do you want here?" Elizabeth demanded.

Koyla stone cold face betrayed no emotions, but he looked Elizabeth directing in the eyes as he pronounced, "All you need to know is that the Genii are in charge here."

Then he went over his demands, that the C-4 explosives be handed over so that the Genii could continue in making their nuclear bombs. The Genii also wanted their medical supplies and a Puddle Jumper.

They were just starting to interrogate Rodney (rightly assuming he would break most easily) when all hell broke loose as Sheila entered the gate room in a blur. In her right hand, she had a shining silver pistol that cracked death. Two Genii died instantly even as Sora and Koyla both dove for cover.

The three remaining Genii soldiers started firing at the quicksilver blur. They gaped in astonishment as they failed to hit her at absurdly short range. Her pistol cracked again, smashing another life from a Genii.

John suddenly slammed into Sora from behind, knocking them both prone, even with his hands tied behind his back. Teyla snapped a kick at her head, knocking her out.

"I guess they don't care if you live or die, McKay," Koyla said as he raised his pistol as the last of his men fell to the small blur.

His gunshot cracked, striking the interposed girl in the chest. "Damn," Sheila said even as Koyla started to squeeze his trigger again. They traded another shot, both crumpling to the ground.

John had himself and Teyla freed in moment using a Genii boot knife. "Someone dial Manara and get Beckett back for emergency surgery. She's losing a lot of blood," John shouted.

The moment Rodney's hands were free, his fingers started dancing across one of the computers. "Dialing Manara. Atlantis to Dr. Beckett, we have an emergency. We need you back as soon as possible."

* * *

"Welcome back, sleepy-head," Dr. Beckett said with a smile as Sheila's eyes fluttered open just a day later.

"I was shot!" she blurted out as much as she could coming out of sedation.

"Twice, actually. You seem to be recovering at an amazing pace," the doctor said.

"Better now that I'm awake," she mumbled.

"What do you mean?" he asked as he turned back to her.

She seemed to be concentrating very hard. She then opened her eyes to blink them slowly. "Should be better. Have too much to do now. Need to get ba- to- wor-" she trailed off in a slur, falling back to sleep.

Five hours later, she was sitting up. "Doctor? I'm feeling better now," she called out.

Carson came around the corner of the curtained off area. "I think that's up to me to decide."

She just smiled at him, her dimples showing her amusement. "I'm not actually being a bad patient because I'm medically trained. I should have only the barest of bruises left and those should fade in a few hours."

The doctor was quite thorough _and _quite surprised. The bruising (and that was all that was there) was quite old and yellowed. There would not even be a scar. "Well, you are doing much better than _any_ of the Genii you shot. Even the leader and Sora. She has a concussion where Teyla kicked her with her marine issued boots."

"And the leader?" Sheila asked as she stood up.

"If he lives though the night, he'll probably pull through." Carson shrugged, as it really was outside of his hands. So he was quite surprised when Sheila walked over to his bed.

"What are you doing?" Sora asked in her bed where she was bound.

The young Scion put her hand upon Koyla's head, nodding to herself. "He would probably survive the night. Dr. Beckett does good work. But I want him and you off this city as soon as possible." She concentrated as she closed her eyes.

Once she opened her eyes, she started strapping him down. Then she moved over to Sora, who shied away from her touch.

"What are you doing?" the Genii demanded of her.

"I am merely healing you." Her hands carried no warmth, no light. Just one moment Sora was suffering from her concussion and then next... there was merely the release of pain. Sheila turned to Dr. Beckett. "Doctor? I'd like your medical opinion on this fellow."

"He's hanging by a thread," Carson asked as he walked over.

"No, he _was_ hanging by a thread. How is he doing now?" she asked patiently.

"He's..." Carson started to pull off the bandages, seeing a mostly closed wound. "How's this possible?"

"I did it. There are actually some Ancient healing devices around, but I haven't tested them to see how they work yet. But this was all my work," she responded.

"Well, he could wake up at any time. Ah, I see you've already secured him. I'd better let Dr. Weir and Major Sheppard know of his change." Carson walked off.

"How... did you do that?" Sora asked huskily.

"By my own divine power that I inherited from my mother." Sheila poked at her wound, grimacing at the pain. "That's still got a few hours before its healed.

"He shot you! _Twice_ in the chest. I'm impressed you are alive!" Sora was starting to get a little frantic.

"Sheila? What is going on here?" Elizabeth asked curtly as she walked in.

"I'm healing these two so they can get the hell off of Atlantis," was her equally curt reply. She headed out of the infirmary to go to her quarters.

Once she was out of their sight, she curled up against the wall in a shivering mass. Her fingers were clutched to where the wounds on her chest had been.

"I can still remember it," she whispered. This would probably be the first time her perfect memory scared her. The gunshots echoed through her even as the adrenaline pounded through her body as the first bullet slammed home. Then the near simultaneous shots at nearly point blank range.

She'd nearly died to an idiot with a gun. Not even a Wraith, Titanspawn or Scion.

Just a greedy fool that through they were the ones that would defeat the Wraith.

She snarled as she headed off to her quarters.

* * *

"Okay. Sora and Koyla are both ready to be returned. We'll be polite, hand over their dead so that they can be dealt with and then we'll drop four bombs with their caves at the center of a big, giant X. Any questions?" John asked everyone at the table.

Sheila was quiet, as she had decided that she was not going to go. Teyla, Aiden and Rodney all nodded.

Rodney stopped beside Sheila as they were about to walk out. "We won't let them back to hurt us." His jaw muscles worked for a second. "Don't think I don't know you took them out because they were about to start torturing me." He ducked his head. "Thanks."

He was almost out of the room when she replied, "You're welcome."

John sat in the pilots seat with Teyla as his 'co-pilot' while two Atlantis soldiers kept their guns trained on the two Genii. They traveled through the Stargate and landed.

"Unload the bodies!" Aiden ordered, jerking his P90 for emphasis. The two Genii soldiers quickly unloaded the other five bodies. They turned only to hear the back hatch close as the Puddle Jumper lifted off invisibly.

"I swear I'll kill them all," Koyla snarled out.

"They... could have killed us-" Sora was saying when the first bomb went off only eight hundred feet away with enough power to knock them over. "What was that?" she yelled out.

In the next two minutes, another three explosions struck, but each was further away then the first one. Then they saw the Stargate dial and heard the Puddle Jumper fly through the Stargate mere moments later.

The message, once they deciphered it, was chilling. 'We can kill you and your underground bases.' The perfectly spaced explosions perfectly mapped out the cave's entrance.

The words written on parchment in a tube was even more chilling. 'Attack us again and we will consider it an act of all out war.'

* * *

"Welcome to the last line in the Ancient's defense. The Wraith stepped right over or ignored it because it was so far away," Sheila said in the pilot's seat of the Puddle Jumper.

"Yes, yes. We can see that. Is it operational?" Rodney asked excitedly.

"Not yet. And I'm upgrading it!" Sheila said happily. She had finally started to over come her deep funk from her wounds.

"You feel you can make a superior battle station than the Ancients? That takes some gall!" Dr. Brenden Gaul snapped out.

Doctor Abrams had to agree. "What sort of improvements can you see to add that they didn't?"

Sheila just gave them a crusty look over her shoulder. "Well, _I'm_ adding Close In Support Weapons, essentially anti-fighter rapid-pulse cannons. If you want a mountain cleaved in twain, use the super-bug zapper that the Ancient had installed. If you want to stop a swarm of Wraith fighters from cutting you down to its-bitsy pieces? Use my upgraded systems."

Rodney took a moment and thought about it. "That makes remarkable sense. Why didn't the Ancients think of that?"

John was nodding his head in agreement. "They couldn't adjust to the way the Wraith fought for some reason?"

"The Wraith were sneaky S.O.B.s and rarely fell prey to the same tactic. Now imagine if you you gave a modern human admiral or general a Wraith fleet? Adaptive, _sneaky _tactics. I give this _upgraded_ battle-station a one in ten chance of stopping the nearest Wraith fleet by itself. And the next fleet will probably hit it in its exact weakest point next time, dropping its chances to one in one-thousand." Sheila shrugged as she sent the Puddle Jumper in a spin around the station. "There's the robotic drones I've got adding armored pulse-weapon ports."

"It's not going to be too useful out here," Gaul noted aloud as he watched several drones rebuilding the station.

"I've got some ion thrusters that will start moving it. But that will take the better part of a month," she replied.

"I'll feel a lot better with that over a heads," John said with a sigh of relief.

"Me too. Even if it probably won't stop the Wraith. It probably _will_ bleed them a bit." She twisted her head slightly, as if she were hearing a noise. "The Puddle Jumper has detected a Wraith distress beacon on that nearby planet."

"We should investigate! Imagine what information we can get from a downed Wraith ship of our own!" Rodney said excitedly.

"Imagine what dangers there are and what booby-traps we could run into," Sheila called back to him.

"And we can have a full team there in just an hour with the hyper time back to Atlantis. Unless you believe those two are off world specialists?" John said of the two older scientists.

"Can I stay back at Atlantis?" Rodney asked with a nervous smile.

"No, we need you and Sheila for figuring out the alien technology. And I know you two can handle yourself," John said.

"Charging the hyper-drive," Sheila called out. The internal strap on module hummed louder and flung them through hyperspace.

One fifteen hour trip was turned into a ten minute jaunt.

"I'm so very glad you figured out that these extra modules were out there," Rodney called out as he studied the hyper drive.

"If I was a nearly omnipotent race of space travelers, I would not want to take fifteen hours to travel across a solar system. Would you?" she called back.

"Point!" Rodney replied as John chuckled.

* * *

"Why are we parked so far away?" Rodney complained.

Teyla stopped as she looked at the Wraith ship up ahead. "There is a Wraith. But it is very weak."

"That wreck has been there centuries. How can there be a survivor?" John asked worriedly.

"Atlantis's sensors should have picked up any hyperspace activity since we got the sensors back online. So they can't have sent a ship recently. And they would have just dropped in on us, rather than drop a Wraith on this wreck. Something isn't adding up," Sheila said as she checked her pistol then her sword on her other hip. Then she looked over Teyla speculatively, just like John was.

"How do you know that there is a Wraith?" the major asked.

"I have always known when the Wraith were close. There are always people among my tribe that have had this ability," Teyla explained.

"And I bet you were wondering why you were always feeling Wraith close by, weren't you on Atlantis?" Sheila said, jumping ahead several steps in her deductions.

"Huh?" John asked.

"Natural adaption?" Rodney asked Sheila.

"Possibly, though there are many other possibilities, too. Teyla, would you mind undergoing some tests when we get back to Atlantis?" At Teyla's nod, Sheila continued with, "But right now, I think we need to see about capturing this Wraith."

They continued to approach the Wraith ship.

"It looks different than the standard Wraith ship. Smaller," John noted.

"That ship probably has a different function then. The Hive ships are really city states that can move, so this is probably some sort of support ship. I wonder if it is a pure fighting ship?" Sheila mused aloud as they worked themselves closer to it.

Glowing bugs floated through the air, much to Shiela and Teyla's delight. It distracted them for just the wrong moment as a Wraith stun grenade went off right at John's feet at the entrance.

Sheila came to, just as she saw a Wraith slamming its palm against Teyla's chest. With a surge of adrenaline, she pulled out her pistol and snapped off two shots into his side that knocked him down. The Wraith and Sheila then had to stagger back to their feet at about the same rate just a moment later.

The Wraith snarled at Sheila, leaping forward with his faster than human reflexes. She curled with the grab, rolling onto her back and then kicking him way off and sending him twenty feet. She was back on her feet just as quickly as he was, the buzz from the stun starting to fade.

So the Wraith was quite surprised when his stun shot missed the small female human leaned out of the attack easily. Sheila emptied her clip at him, sending him fleeing around the corner and closing the door into the Wraith ship.

Then she threw herself at Teyla in a flurry of medical attention. Sheila frowned as she mixed two anti-venoms with a powerful depressant in a desperate bid to save her life. She heard a groan from John and Rodney, but ignored them as she injected the needle right in the palm of the Wraith print on Teyla's chest.

"Come on, live!" Sheila said in a low voice. She laid her hand on the Athosian's torso where the Wraith had drained her just a scant few minutes. "Live."

"What happened?" John managed to finally say. "Feels like I've been stunned."

"Some sort of trap. Teyla needs to be protected, Rodney. Major, I think we need to go after this Wraith." Sheila then pulled the clip from her pistol and verified how many bullets she still had. She then laid a hand on John's shoulder, instantly perking him up. "Easy to negate, thank goodness."

"Right," John replied as he was fully awake.

After making sure that Rodney had his pistol out and an Ancient communicator ready to call for help, the two headed into the ship. They found hundreds and hundreds of dead, mummified humans. That was when they realized this ship must have been a food supply ship.

Sheila was reading the life sign sensors, moving at a quick enough pace that the major was half jogging to keep up.

"Should we be rushing like this? All he has to do is set another trap and we're dead," John said, staying at least fifteen feet back.

"Point." They slowed down at that point.

They started to cover each other as they moved forward. Sheila was in the lead when a Wraith stun grenade came bouncing around a corner. John dove for cover even as the Scion charged through the door in a blur.

"Whoa!" she cried out, dodging up the wall in a running curve to then dive behind a metal pillar.

The Wraith had kept firing, hissing in anger. Up until John peeked around the corner and then started shooting him in the back with his P-90 in short, controlled bursts that almost lifted the alien off his feet. With a snarl, the Wraith turned back around only to get a burst to his head.

"Good shot," Sheila said as she stuck her head out.

"He was armored. We need better weapons if we are going to be getting into gunfights with the Wraith." He did not sound to happy.

* * *

"You are going to be fine, Teyla." Sheila had her sitting on an Atlantean medical bed with Dr. Beckett watching closely. "I managed to stabilize you long enough to get you back here and we should be more than able to repair the ravages that the Wraith feeding have done to you."

The old woman smiled. "I truly hope so."

Beckett was watching the Ancient data screens with his glasses. "Eck. Tis a right mess there. Do you think you can fix that?"

"I should be able to. The cellular damage is fairly extreme, but with the over-ride that this was caused by a Wraith, the limitation on rebuilding 'aging' should be able to be circumvented." Sheila was rapidly scanning four other screens.

Outside the room, but watching from a view screen, John and Elizabeth were with a few Athosian natives watching the screen.

"As you can see, even Sheila can't instantly fix this sort of damage. She is confident she can help her-" Elizabeth was saying when she interrupted.

"Look!" one of the Athosian elders said, pointing to the screen.

They watched as lights started glowing from from up above as Sheila was rapidly fiddling with the controls as Beckett watched along.

Teyla's form started to lose its wrinkles, the skin started to firm up as the ravages of the Wraith's feeding attack were repaired.

"It appears that a few Ancient's survived being fed and the computer's recognized the damage," Sheila said as she continued to manipulate the controls. "It isn't going to fix all the cosmetic damage."

"What does that mean?" Teyla asked.

"It looks like you'll have a white streak in your hair. Consider it a scar from your brush with death," she replied with a quicky grin.

* * *

Sheila was back in her room, watching a display. "Dr. Weir, things look like they are going very badly back in the Milky Way," she said to the air.

"How bad?" Elizabeth asked from her office.

"Like evacuate Stargate Command to Atlantis bad. The Free Jaffa were just pulled out of position from Dakara and its weapon. Now Anubis just took control of that system." Sheila stood up and fitted a plastic looking breastplate to her military fatigues. She then slung her sword over her shoulder and two guns to her hip. "I'm heading to the gate room."

"But we are cut off from Earth," Elizabeth protested.

"I might be able to time a wormhole with the generators we have. The wormhole will only be only about one half of a second, but that should be enough." She was almost trotting now. She slid into the control room as the technician suddenly exclaimed out.

"I'm reading an open wormhole to Earth. Looks like they've been locked out," the technician called out.

Sheila slid in front of another computer, eyes flickering across rolling screens faster than he could follow. "Super-charging the gate for intergalactic transit. They've opened a multi-wormhole connection to almost all Stargates within the Milky Way originating from Dakara." The lights in Atlantis dimmed for the first time since the fusion generators were brought online.

"Someone is going to use the Dakaran weapon to terraform all of the planets in the Milky Way?" Elizabeth asked in a horrified tone as she ran into the room, John just a moment behind her.

"It looks like it. General O'Neil, do you have your two prototype Gatefighters ready for deployment?" the young Scion asked.

Back in Stargate Command, Jack nodded. "Yes, we do. But we can't deploy them through the gate like this."

"Just be ready." Sheila started typing at a breakneck pace. "Dialing Dakara!" She hopped to her feet.

"But it's already dialed out," John said.

"Haven't you ever hung up your phone when you don't want to talk to your other party?" she asked as she hopped to the floor below.

"Gate Address is locked in!" the gate technician called out as the Stargate exploded.

Sheila charged the disruptive dematerialization field, her nose a mere inch from the wave as it collapsed inward. She hit the barely formed Stargate a half moment before it disconnected.

All across the Milky Way, Stargates disconnected from Dakara much to Anubis's surprise in the Diner Between Time and Space.

"What? Some_thing_ from the Pegasus Galaxy just disconnected my Stargate. I'll gloat later, after I've wiped out all the life in the galaxy." Anubis then just disappeared as Daniel and Oma blinked in surprise.

Sheila swept her nano-forged, quantum-vibro sword through the last Kull warrior that had been standing guard over the Stargate. "Henderson to Stargate Command. I've seized control of the Stargate on Dakara. We've got a large command Hatak in orbit."

"Roger, dialing Dakara and positioning gate for fighter transport," he called back. In the gateroom, the Stargate was lifting up through the opened missile-silo door on a tractor beam as two fighters were winging their way through the mountains.

Their wings and engines folded up, becoming needle-nosed tear drops that flashed through the Stargate at supersonic speeds. The moment they appeared through the Dakaran gate, they pulled up while deploying their wing-engines.

"Fox-1! Fox-2!" yelled the first pilot as glowing green drones rocketed up towards the very surprised Hatak. His wingman followed him just a moment later, firing his own drones.

They hit with massive effect. The first two splashed on the uprated shields. The third collapsed those shields while the fourth hammered home on the armored behemoth, nearly vaporizing it.

On the ground, a near blur rocketed into the control room. "Oh, this makes much better sense in person," Sheila muttered to herself. She sheathed her sword as she started to quickly move the squares in patterns.

"I should torture you slowly, horribly for disrupting my plans. You are something outside of my knowledge and experience. And I was not watching the Pegasus Galaxy for interlopers." Anubis had arrived, cloaked in black darker than midnight, his current host's face hidden behind his faceless mask.

"I from a lot further than that, actually." Sheila was trying to get him talking, but he must have seen through that as a force ripped her from the pedestal to smash her against the wall.

The half-ascended Goa'uld swept forward to reset the controls when bolts of energy slammed into him. He turned back around. "Fool! I am a god!"

"And I'm the daughter of a goddess! You hold no fear within my heart!" she lied gamely. Her heart was beating fast and furiously. When he waved his hand at her, flinging lightning bolts of putrid orange, she was already moving. "And your aim sucks."

Anubis did not bother answering again, unleashing more lightning that curved through the air and homed towards her. When it struck, her flesh burned and boiled as she screamed out in agony. "And I win again. Not even the Tauri will stop me this time."

The huge, cloaked figure was reaching for the pedestal and its blocks to reconfigure when a blinding, white light entered the room.

"Stargate, the Dakara Weapon will overload in two minutes. Evacuate, repeat, evacuate-" Sheila managed to croak out through her radio. In the air in front of her, she could see a portal that was sealing itself. She reached with everything she could as light welled up within her shattered body.

"Sheila? Henderson! Report!" General Jack O'Neill called out back at Stargate Command. "Captain Liard, can you land and evacuate Henderson?"

"Not in two minutes, sir. I'm 60 seconds out in orbit," the pilot replied.

Jack closed his eyes. When he opened them, his eyes were hard. "Belay that. Jump to hyperspace to your assigned evacuation coordinates. Close the wormhole."

"Sir?"

"That's an order." Jack kept his eyes on the wormhole until it shut down. Now he had to tell Elizabeth Weir that one of her people had died trying to save them all.

Dakara simply ceased to exist in a burst of light; even its sun was disrupted by the overloading weapon.

* * *

Sheila looked at the outside of a quaint diner in the middle of a desert. Her form was glowing and barely holding steady, wavering like it was snapping in and out of focus. "I don't think I'm in Kansas anymore, Toto," she said to no one at all. She walked in the door just as a swirling maelstrom of light flashed out of existence. "Hello. That's not very normal, now is it?"

Daniel Jackson looked over. "How did you get here?" Across the diner, other patrons were looking in wary interest.

"Daniel Jackson, I presume?" she asked.

"Sheila Henderson? How did you get here... half ascended?" he asked.

"I just followed that light that grabbed Anubis." She shrugged. "I was dying, I think. More an instinct than anything else."

"Well, I was just about to descend back to a normal, human existence." He shrugged boyishly.

Sheila looked over at the other, unfriendly looking patrons of the diner. "Sounds like a wonderful idea."

The diner dissolved into bright white. Daniel headed back to Earth, while Sheila set herself back to Atlantis.

Elizabeth stared across the room blankly, ignoring the gate technicians for a moment while the presence of John Shepphard raged silently without motion next to her. "I can't believe she's gone."

"Um, hello?" Sheila called from behind the Stargate. She was going to hit Daniel. He could have warned her that she would have shown up nude.

"Sheila, exactly how did you end up in the Gateroom without your clothing?" Elizabeth asked as she struggled to not burst out laughing.

"I guess I descended, as Daniel Jackson put it. Since I wanted to be back here, I ended up back in the Gateroom. I'd _really_ like some clothing, though."

"I think you had better handle this, Dr. Weir," John said with an absolutely straight face. "Men! About face!"

* * *

"So you ascended _and_ descended? I wish we could have had some sensors watching that. We could have learned a lot about Ascension," Rodney nattered on.

"McKay, we are looking to deal with current situation, which is the nearest Hive ships headed our way. We've copied the Ancient Database, but we need to be able to stop the Wraiths from killing us if possible." Elizabeth turned him away from his obsession on ascending.

"Atlantis is still rebuilding itself thanks to the tertiary power we have. We could, technically, still run. But I think we should wait and see if we can stop them first," Sheila said softly.

"Well, if we had that Ancient battlestation ready, we might stand a chance," Rodney snarked back.

"That's right, what happened to that?" John asked, turning away from Aiden where they were talking over military plans.

"It's in geostationary orbit above us. I have it cloaked for maximum surprise."

Weir nodded. "But we can't depend on it for long term protection, can we?"

"No, it didn't stop the Wraith the first time, why would it stop them this time? We'll be able to inflict damage, but its a sitting duck from long range bomdardment. I'm more worried that the Wraith have an overwhelming superiority in fighter numbers." Sheila frowned at that.

"Do we have enough power to run drones?" John asked intently. They had found an Ancient control chair. Drones would go a long way to redressing fighter inferiority.

"A possible 'maybe' but it leaves us less power to do other things. General O'Neill is trying to procure us a ZPM from the Milky Way now that peace has effectively broken out there. If he can do that, he's going to try to get permission to deploy the first wing of the Gatefighter. And it looks like we are running out of time on our own." Sheila activated the hologram. "The Wraith just bypassed their last projected stopping point. They are only a day or so out."

"Okay, I've got to let General O'Neill know. Everyone, do what you can. If we have to, we'll evacuate and self-destruct the city by overloading the fusion plants." Elizabeth stood up, calling the meeting to an effective end.

* * *

Alarms started blaring as a voice ordered nonessential personel to evacuate. Teyla met up with her Athosians that were trailing with the scientists towards the Gateroom. "What is going on?"

"I heard the Wraith will be here any minute. Will we ever be safe?" one of the elders asked.

Out in space, the three Wraith hive ships and their lighter escorts appeared in orbit. They immediately launched fighters, just before the first one was vaporized by the Ancient Battlestation as it decloaked. The fighters suddenly lurched forward into a blistering CIWS counterfire from its new plasma turrets.

Sheila was sitting in the Ancient control chair. "Initializing Neutrino Ion Reactor number 1." The lights flickered across Atlantis. "Initializing Neutrino Ion Reactor number 2." The lights flickered again. "Initializing Neutrino Ion Reactor 3. Initializing Neutrino Ion Reactor number 4."

Back in the Gateroom, an address was dialed as a message was sent out. "Dr. Weir, we are dialing Earth."

She just nodded. "Let Stargate Command know that they can expect to receive the Athosians and non-military personell."

Rodney looked up from where he was typing away frantically on a notebook. "When did we get all secondary power generators online?"

"Sheila gave me a confidential report that she could activate them in an emergency. Well, its an emergency and we need the power," Elizabeth responded carefully. "Are you going to evacuate?"

Rodney stopped. He felt an almost overwhelming need to flee back to Earth where things were normal, safe. But he would always miss these new mysteries and knowledge. "No, I want to stay."

The evacuees started to file through the Stargate as they were given the go ahead. It took remarkably little time to clear all of them out.

Sheila's voice came over the intercom. "Reverse dialing Earth. Raising the Gate for ship transport." The Stargate started dialing even as it rose through the door that opened up above it.

John nodded as he realized what was going to happen. They had discussed that in the past, using the Stargate to transport fighters to Atlantis. Out in space, the Atlantian battlestation was giving as good as it was taking against the whole fleet when one of the smaller Wraith ships suddenly jumped into hyperspace from the other side of the fleet formation as one of the two remaining Hive Ship was winged by the huge beam of energy.

The Wraith cruiser appeared in a halo of energy to slam directly into the battlestation at high speeds even as ten Stargate Fighters (USAF F-401s Phoenixes) rocketed into the middle of the of the Wraith dart fighters. Each F-401 launched two drones. Far weaker, slower and kludgier than Ancient drones, they were still capable of smashing fighter formations on their own.

The Wraith fighter pilots has never even imagined what Ancient _fighters_ would be like. The Ancients had been too egalitarian in their outlook and could use their standard machines as weapons to devastating effect. But actual weapons of war using their technology were terrifying.

"We lost the battlestation," Sheila called out. "Prepare for combat maneuvering."

"Combat what?" Rodney asked even as Teyla nodded to herself.

That was when Atlantis lifted off as the Stargate floated back down into the Gateroom. The Ancient city shot at high speed into space. Sheila took in the energy production gauges with a nod. About what she expected. Less than twenty-five percent of optimal power.

But optimal power was three separate ZPMs. And Atlantis was sporting some new tricks of its own.

As the ship rose into the air, new anti-fighter turrets opened up and started cutting a swath through the massed fighter.

"Firing anti-fighter flack," Sheila called out. Plasma balls shot out, slower than the other anti-fighter weapons. When the shots got into the center of the formation, they exploded. Each shot took out ten to fifteen fighters.

All of the Wraith darts formed up out of the range of the flack, as a swarm ready to throw themselves at the city.

"All hands prepare for three gravities of force," Sheila's voice called out over the intercom.

Atlantis suddenly charged the tight formation of fighters before they could begin their own attack run, its internal dampeners unable to correct for the massive acceleration. And it took a lot less force to smash them than the reverse would have required to smash down Atlantis's shields.

That was when the _Deadelus_ dropped out of hyperspace right next to the nearest Hive ship, opening up with everything they had.

Colonel Steven Caldwell gripped the arms of his command chair. "Launch all fighters. Come about port five degrees. Fire missiles as you bear."

Heavy nuclear missiles fired, using the new thrusters from the reverse-engineered Ancient engines flung the missiles at the nearest Hive ship at a blistering pace. The damaged Hive ship listed heavily as explosions cascaded within it.

Then even more of Wraith Hives dropped out of hyperspace. Three more hive ships and a dozen cruisers that all launched their hundreds of fighters the instant they appeared.


	2. SG1: Demigoddess

_**Continued**__**from**__**SGA**__**:**__**Hero**__**.**_

_That__was__when__even__more__Wraith__ships__dropped__out__of__hyperspace__. __The__three__more__hive__ships__and__a__dozen__cruisers__that__all__launched__their__hundreds__of__fighters__the__instant__they__appeared__. _

Colonel Steven Caldwell swore under his breath. "Evade to starboard, bow up! Open a line to Atlantis!" he ordered.

"This is Dr. Weir," came the almost instantaneous response.

"Another three Hive ships and their escorts have appeared. I really don't think we can hold out here," the colonel said gravely. The ship shuddered under a heavy attack.

"I concur, I think the Wraith have decided to take us more seriously than I expected," Sheila said from the Ancient control chair. "We might be able to defeat this fleet going all out, but I expect they'll just send more and more ships."

"With Atlantis being mobile, I see no reason to fight a war of attrition right now," Elizabeth said intently. "I think it is time to retreat."

"Transmitting a course to the _Daedalus_. Firing a spread of drones to cover our retreat," the young girl said over the comms. Glowing drones rocketed from the city towards the nearest wraith cruiser, smashing through it like it was nothing.

"Course accepted, sir. But it's deeper into the Pegasus Galaxy," came the _Deadalus_helmsman's response.

"Just a dogleg, sir. Don't want them following us home from the breadcrumbs." Sheila was quite intent on her fight.

"Sounds good to me. Get us out of here," Caldwell ordered. The _Daedalus_ shuddered again, its shields dropping drastically.

The _Daedalus _opened its hyperspace window first, but Atlantis was only a moment behind them. The fighters broke off and opened their smaller windows. All of the ships disappeared with a flash, leaving some very angry aliens behind.

* * *

"Well, that was exciting," Sheila said to no one in particular. "We didn't do so hot, did we?"

John shook his head. "I think we did better than expected. We did inflict a lot of damage."

"We inflicted enough damage for them to take us seriously, but not enough to really hurt them. I bet they'll start building up their forces and adapting immediately," she countered.

"Yes, but we've really started to figure this stuff out. Those new Gatefighters look really cool," he said with a smile.

"So we are going to try and lose them?"

"Yeah, I've got a course set that will look like we are headed for the Lesser Magellan Cloud. If they are smart, they won't fall for it." She shrugged theatrically. "We can't expect them to be idiots though." A 3D screen appeared, with symbols changing on it.

"Our rally point?" Teyla asked.

"Yes. You've been learning the Ancient language?" the Scion asked with a pleased tone.

"Correct. Most of the Athosians have been working on our understanding of the Ancestor's tongue, so that we may be equal partners with the Tauri."

John nodded at that. "Heck, you're ahead of me!"

That was Rodney walked in. "Well, I see we stopped throwing around ludicrous amounts of firepower in a vain hope of defeating a numerically superior foe."

Atlantis dropped out of hyperspace, deep in interstellar space as he talked.

Sheila sighed. "Now we wait."

Caldwell's voice came on the line. "Well, we outran them."

"Well, our two main ships outran them. Our fighters are another thing entirely. Even with those crappy hyperdrives that overheat, they'll be faster than the F-302s." Sheila was busy juggling numbers in her head. "Did you hear if they got the J refit or not?"

The colonel's voice was quite surprised at the question. "Yes, they did. I see what you are thinking about. That does give them some leeway room, doesn't it?"

"We'll need to recover them quickly." Sheila was already giving the squad landing orders, splitting them up to different piers for quick retrieval.

The F-302s and F-401 Gatefighters popped back into real space in a flash. They arrowed to the two 'motherships' with a polish that only the truly professional could see.

The last fighter was just touching down when another flash appeared as Wraith cruisers appeared, launching fighters.

"I think we've overstayed our welcome, what do you think?" Sheila said as Elizabeth walked into the chair room.

"I agree. Let's just get out of here," she said coolly. "Colonel? Let's split up at this point."

"I'll see you at the next rendezvous," he replied.

With that, they both flashed back off into Hyperspace.

* * *

There was a flash of light and several figures appeared in the middle of the Atlantian control room.

"Colonel Caldwell! And this must be Hermiod, your Asgard liaison?" Elizabeth said. They had dropped out of Hyperspace in between the two galaxies for a little more formal greetings.

"Dr. Weir, it's nice to meet you in person," the colonel said as he started shaking hands.

Sheila, Teyla, John and Elizabeth all shook hands with smiles on their faces.

"And how do I greet you, Noble Asgard?" Sheila asked curiously.

His nearly non-existent features crinkled in surprise. "I am willing to accept the Tauri custom of shaking hands." The 'Gray' alien looked quite intrigued. "I am to understand that you have discerned much of the Ancient technology. You are a Tauri not of Earth, or of this Earth."

She shook his hand gently. "From a different quantum dimension, correct."

"Intriguing. I am to understand you have a very advanced intellect," the alien said with just a touch of excitement.

"I don't know how you would rate it, but I'm pretty smart." She frowned for a second. "I don't know the polite way to bring this up, but would you be willing to accept my aid in your race's medical problem?"

"The Tauri are always willing to help. But did you not want to trade for help in returning you to your home quantum dimension?" Hermiod asked curiously. Thor was always having to bargain with the Tauri to some degree or another.

"I'm in no danger of dying and I'm pretty sure I'll be able to get home eventually. I think an entire race's survival is far more important," she replied simply.

Elizabeth had been listening intently. "Hermiod, would you follow Sheila to the infirmary?"

"Of course." The little alien shuffled along at a reasonable pace. Soon they were in a room with advanced Ancient devices. "This does not look like Tauri technology."

"I think we're going to need something slightly more advanced. Would you like some assistance to get on the medical scanner-bed?"

At his nod, she carefully lifted him up and laid him down.

"First, we'll try a little hocus-pocus!" Sheila said with a wink. She laid her hand on his brow and concentrated to get the most information on the problem with her innate sense of health and wellness. "That isn't good. From the file on the Asgard, it says you clone bodies, correct?"

"That is correct."

"I'm only seeing another three generations of viable clones. On top of that, this body will be degrading within a year. This is reaching a critical failure, isn't it?" she asked. She started bringing up Ancient scanners, having them check what she had spotted.

"You are still, unfortunately, correct. Our race is on the brink of being wiped out by our hubris," the little alien said.

"It looks like you excised a bit too much genetic redundancy quite a ways back. While it probably fixed several issues with cancers and such, it escalated how fast your full genetic structure would weaken." Sheila was frowning very hard. "I just wish I had a fix."

"You have reached the same conclusion. While we have not given up, we are preparing for the worst in any case."

"None of that. I'll have a solution, I promise."

* * *

Rodney walked into the Ancient infirmary. "Ah, I told Dr. Weir this is where you would be."

"Oh. Hello, Rodney," Sheila replied. She looked subdued. "Still working on that Asgardian problem."

"Still?" he asked.

"I have to solve it," she muttered almost like a mantra.

Rodney blinked and then almost swore under his breath. "You need to take a break." That was something he never thought he would have said.

"I'm not tired yet. I'm not sure I get tired. Haven't slept in a week," she replied back absently. "I just know there has to be a solution. Why can't I see it?"

She did not even notice that he left.

"Sheila Henderson! What are you doing?" Elizabeth Weir demanded as she strode into the bio-sciences lab of the Ancients. Dr. Beckett and the newly promoted Lt. Colonel John Sheppard were right behind her.

"I'm- I'm just trying to solve the Asgard's cloning problems. But it keeps eluding me." Sheila banged her fist down, denting the metal heavily. "Why can't I solve it?"

Dr. Beckett stepped in. "I'm gonna have to ask that you stop, lass. You sound like your are on the edge of a breakdown."

"But I'm not tired-" she complained.

"No, but ye' sound stressed out and a bit brittle. We don't need ye' going Postal as the Americans say. Not sure we'd be able to stop ya," he said. "You might not need any sleep, but I think you need a vacation." He put his fists on his hips. "Consider it doctor's orders."

"Fine, fine. Just five more minutes," she pleaded.

"No, you need to come to supper. Come on now, the children have been missing you," the doctor said.

She let him pull her away.

Sheila laughed as the returned Athosian children swarmed her after she finished her meal. They found it hilarious that she could easily carry six children without any problem.

"Now now! She needs to go nap out! Then she's going to be headed to Earth," Dr. Beckett ordered with smile.

"Is it true you were working for over two weeks?" a child asked.

Sheila stopped for a second, thinking about it. "That's about right. I hadn't realized how long I'd been working."

"I thought you didn't forget anything?" Teyla asked curiously.

"I was too busy thinking of other things, actually. I can't think of everything all the time!" She laughed. "I'm not omniscient by any means. Just smart. Heck, I probably don't even hold a candle to my mother."

"Yes, I read up on Athena. The goddess that sprung fully formed and armed from the brow of her father that had swallowed her and her mother whole in fear of what she could become," Teyla said, thinking back to the books in English that she had been reading. "She is one of two war-gods of the Greeks, though she prefers intelligent warfare over her brother's direct battle style."

Sheila thought back over. "Hmm. That could be possible."

"No work!" Teyla called back. "You need to relax!"

"Okay. Sheesh!"

* * *

Sheila staggered as she stepped out of the Stargate onto Earth. "Whoa, that feels odd." She held up her hand which showed she was glowing brightly. "Huh, that's weird. I thought I was getting better at not glowing when I stepped through?"

"Are you all right, Miss Henderson?" a concerned voice called out.

She looked up through the window to the armored control room. "I should be fine, I think. I'll have to figure out what's going on. I was glowing less my last trip."

Aiden Ford raised an eyebrow at that. "Well, let's go through medical and get cleared. I want to get to my leave. Atlantis has a lot of things, but it doesn't have a good bar."

By the time the examination was over, Sheila was glowing a lot less. She was looking curiously over at two figures laying down. "What is Daniel doing over there?"

"He and Vala got mixed up with an Ancient communication device. Now they are locked into it," Dr. Carolyn Lam said while looking quite upset.

Suddenly, a heart monitor starts blaring.

"She's flat-lining! Her heart has stopped!"

In a far off galaxy, the body that Vala was inhabiting was being consumed by flames.

The medical staff was doing everything in their power to save the ex-Goa'uld host. Even jump-starting her heart to try to halt her from cardiac arrest. "It's no good! We aren't getting a response."

"Live," Sheila demanded as she laid her hands on each side of Vala's head. The glow from within her had been fading suddenly flared and then traveled to her hands.

Vala gasped as she was suddenly pulled back from the brink of death, her burns healing rapidly. The flames that had been killing her exploded away from her in a flash of power. Daniel stared in awe as the peasants started crying out in shock.

That was when a robed figure appeared. He raised his hands dramatically. "And lo have the Ori blessed thee; protecting thee from the fires of judgment." He let the staff in his hand dim. "Release her."

It was time for the Ori to find out what was going on.

* * *

"But I could figure out how to turn it off, I'm sure," Sheila argued.

"You are off duty," General Landry noted. "As a matter of fact, it's a medically mandated leave of absence. I do have your paperwork, I.D. and account information here. Just remember that you need to check in regularly and you aren't allowed back on base or back to Atlantis-"

That was when the incoming wormhole alert. Landry headed off as Sheila slinked off herself. She really had no desire to be outside in the real world with no friends and family that she could deal with. She started reading her new papers.

Luckily, Sheila Henderson was a very common name. She was modestly wealthy, but only in pure monetary funds. She owned the clothes on her back and those that were given to her by the Atlantis expedition. She had been emancipated and had a set of identity papers from California.

Now she just needed something to do that was boring and mundane. Maybe she should go to the Riviera? Or Greece? Wait, she did not have a Visa to travel outside the U.S. yet.

She was still thinking when she heard another incoming wormhole alert. That was when she felt it approaching. She checked her pistol, stethoscope and PDA and went to the entrance. Finally, the massive armored door was allowed to open. The SG-12 team looked surprised at the young girl in fatigues standing with them. Lt. Colonel Cameron Mitchell's surprise turned to recognition.

The reaction from the Prior was more profound as his eyes narrowed in anger. "Who are you?"

"I am Sheila, Scion of Pallas Athena."

"An unbeliever of a false religion," he intoned.

"I haven't actually founded my religion. I'm not sure I feel comfortable with that aspect of myself," she replied coolly.

"You are claiming to be a god? Blasphemy!"

"No, just the daughter of a goddess."

"General Landry would like the Prior here to go to conference room 12," Cameron said.

"I think I had better come along, sir. Even over my medical leave." She turned to look at him eye to eye. "This could be an incredibly important event."

"Fine."

Sheila and Gerak had only one thing in common, they both did not like the Prior. They had been listening for a while, neither liking what they had heard. It seemed that the Origin religion slanted towards intolerance of other religions to a very scary degree.

That was when General Landry and Lt. Colonel Mitchell reentered at the head of a guard detail.

Gerak surged to his feet. "What is the meaning of this?" he demanded.

All of the soldiers pointed their weapons at the Prior.

General Landry spoke up, "I'm very sorry, but we have just received some information about our visitor that mandates we take all precautions."

The Prior looked vaguely amused at the reaction.

Cameron ordered politely, "We'll have to take the staff, sir." As soon as an airmen had removed the staff from the Prior's hands, he continued with, "And you'll have to come with us."

Gerak looked fit to be tied. "I demand to know what is going on!"

"All I wish to do is spread the word of the Ori to your world," the Prior said pleasantly as he stood up.

"That was never going to happen," General Landry said after he threw a quick glance at the leader of the Jaffa.

"Then I must leave," the Prior said.

"That isn't going to happen either," Cameron said.

An alert starts to go off, distracting the soldiers for just a moment. "Code Blue medical emergency. I repeat, Code Blue medical emergency," bawled out a voice on the intercom. Gerak and Teal'c both look intently on the situation.

"HALLOWED BE THE ORI!" the Prior chanted loudly. He stuck out his hand towards the airman that had his staff, summoning it back to him.

It almost made it before a blurring hand intercepted it. "I'm sorry, but I will not allow you this weapon," Sheila said as she came to a halt a mere step back from the Prior who looked quite startled. Her arm muscles strained under the power that was summoning it, but she was unable to pull it away from the Prior even as he was unable to move it closer. "Fine."

Her punch hit him square in the jaw and knocked him ten feet away against a wall, unconscious and badly injured. She looked at the staff with distaste. "What an awful item with evil powers," she finally said.

Teal'c and Gerak both stared at her in shock, as she did not look at all like she should have been capable of that feat.

"Sheila! The last time this happened, Vala nearly died!" Cameron yelled out as he kept his weapon pointed at the Prior.

She was through the door in an instant, running down the hall at a literal blur to the infirmary. Behind her, the Ori tried to stand up, glaring at her.

"Hallowed be the Ori!" he intones, immolating himself in fire.

Dr. Lam looked up. "It's the same as before, except it's both of them."

Sheila turned to the Ancient communication device. She stared at it intently. "Nothing." She pursed her lips. She shouted out an unintelligible phrase. Then tried three different variations.

The crystal light at the top of it finally turned off.

The doctor looked surprised. "It was voice activated?"

That was when Daniel and Vala suddenly awoke.

"Actually, I yelled an emergency deactivation command phrase. You don't really expect something like this to not have an off setting, do you?"

Daniel looked at her for a long second. "What are you doing with that staff?" he asked finally.

"Oh, I just didn't have time to drop it somewhere safe. I was just keeping it from its Prior."

"Which she did quite admirably," General Landry said as he entered the infirmary. "But you still need to take your medically mandated leave."

"Oh, phooey."

Daniel and Vala grinned at her obvious discomfort with having to take a vacation.

"Just as soon as Dr. Lam certifies that handling that staff left no adverse affect on you, I really do want to see you off base doing something relaxing." The general raised an eyebrow, but was unmoved her cute frustration.

* * *

"That is so unfair," Vala said she followed Sheila to the elevator.

"That I have to leave the base and 'relax' while you aren't allowed off the base?" Sheila asked as she settled her small backpack on her shoulder.

"Yes. I wanted to see what Earth is really like," the ex-Goa'uld host complained.

Daniel rolled his eyes. "I think we'd have to prepare the Earth more for you than you for it, Vala. Sheila, are you going to be all right? I'm sure I can have one of the airmen give you a ride into town."

Vala looked outraged at his blatant insinuation.

Sheila chuckled. "No, I'll be fine. I've got my cell phone with its GPS tracker."

They parted ways at the elevator as Sheila made went up. After progressing through all the security checkpoints, she was let out into the late daylight.

"Do you have a ride, ma'am?" asked the soldiers at the entrance.

"I don't, but I'll be fine. I'll just be hoofing it along!" She gave him a stunning smile, not realizing the effect of her appearance on him.

So she started out jogging out the gates of NORAD. The soldiers smiled as they watched the girl running. She would be begging for a ride they were sure.

Or so they were thinking and planning (after all, they both were off duty and could offer their services then!)

That was when they saw her picking up speed as she turned the corner. Her feet were flying along the ground as the wind whipped past her at a faster and faster rate. She passed a new looking jeep as she zipped by him on the edge of the road.

James Barnes just blinked and then braked hard. He had just been released from active duty for some serious R&R. So seeing a human outrun his jeep after getting off base was worrisome. "Phone, dial 555-299-8811." He waited for the pickup even as he sped back up to try and keep the figure in sight. "This is Major Barnes. Do we have a potential breakout situation going on?"

"Not that I'm aware of. Did you just spot something?" the officer on the other side asked.

"Well, someone just passed me on the road leaving the base. Considering I'm in a vehicle and they were on foot, that might be a problem."

"Hold on, I'm checking. We don't have any visitors at this point. Did you get a good look at them?"

"Negatory," Barnes replied. "I think it was female and wearing a backpack. I'm hitting fifty miles per hour and I'm not catching up here."

"Are you sure they didn't leave the road?" Cameron Mitchell asked. He was looking over the command area, looking over monitors.

"They could have, but they passed me like I was standing still when I was doing forty, so I think its just going faster than me," he replied.

"Sir! Look at Sheila's tracker!" Walter called out.

"Son of a bitch. Is that accurate?" Cameron demanded.

"It looks like it sir. Let me put that tracker on the radar system for plotting speed." Walter and everyone else in the command room just blinked as they realized that she was really running at almost one hundred miles per hour.

"Major Barnes, you can break off pursuit. It's a friendly and you aren't going to catch her. Well, not until you can get on the freeway." Probably not even then, Cameron realized.

"Sir?" the officer exclaimed.

Unconcerned with the havoc she was leaving behind, Sheila tapped within her the power that Athena had awoken within her as she came to the freeway entrance.

Walter whistled as her speed suddenly doubled. "How is that possible?"

"What is going on?" General Landry asked as he entered the control room.

"We were just informed by Major Barnes that a figure on foot just passed his jeep, sir." Cameron winced, he could already tell that Landry was probably not going to like this.

"I thought she knew that she was not to reveal any secrets of the Stargate Program?" he said very harshly. While he was not a man to get angered easily, his anger was equally epic for its scarcity.

The lt. colonel thought about it for a long second. "I don't know if she would think of her own abilities as falling under that coverage."

The general seemed to think about it for a long moment. "You're probably right. This could still be a mess."

"Well, right now I'd say she's probably pretty impossible to spot. And she might be doing this because we told her that she had to take that break. She's only seventeen, sir." Cameron winced at that.

"So she's being rebellious because we told her something she didn't like to hear?" His stern visage suddenly eased up. "Son, that's probably the best thing I've heard all day concerning her. Makes her a lot more human. Not that I won't disclose my displeasure to her later. But she can play for a bit."

A strangled noise was coming from Walter's direction.

"Walter?" General Landry asked.

"She just accelerated again, sir. I mean... this shouldn't be possible, should it?"

All of them watched in shock as she easily broke the speed of sound while still following the Interstate-25 south towards Las Vegas.

"Son, I don't think impossible quite means the same thing to her as it does to us," the general said with a laugh. "Keep an eye on her."

* * *

Sheila knifed through the waters of the Pacific, heading back to the shore just a week later. She waved to a couple of her 'beach bunny' friends as she headed to her small pile of belongings. She was toweling off her tanned skin when she saw a man walking towards her. He stuck out horribly on the beach as he was wearing a dark suit.

"Sheila Henderson?" he asked, squinting through his ray-bans.

"Who's asking?" she queried.

"Well, I'm Joey Armstrong. I'm here to extend an invitation." He smiled disarmingly.

"Sounds fun," she said with a smile as she finished toweling off. She pulled on a set of cut-off jeans and then a light t-shirt and followed the company man to his dark sedan.

The drive in to San Diego was quiet as the driver turned on a light rock station. Soon he pulled up to the front entrance of a business. Sheila arched an eyebrow at the name of Farrow-Marshall. She shrugged it off, passing normal business people doing normal meetings or typing on computers.

Joey led her right to a door, passing an empty foyer.

Sheila was led in and the door was closed behind her. The office was fairly opulent, befitting a high level executive. That was when the woman turned her chair around to look at her visitor. She was blonde and quite pretty, with lively intelligent eyes.

"Hello, I'm Charlotte Mayfield of Farrow-Marshall. I have to say that I've been looking forward to meeting you," the woman said as they shook hands.

Sheila sat herself down in one of the two seat. "Oh? I'm afraid you have me at a disadvantage."

"Really? When I heard about you I was shocked. I knew that I wanted to stop any rumors a new Tokra," she said pleasantly.

That confused the young woman. "Ah, you think I'm- What did you call that? Brokraw?"

"Cute. I know you were released from Stargate Command, Sheila; Scion of Pallas Athena. Though I wonder how you managed to trick them into trusting you?" the older looking woman asked.

"Maybe I'm worth trusting?" was the quick, barbed rejoinder.

"No Goa'uld is worth trusting. And if you have your mother's memories, you would know that." Charlotte seemed amused by the thought.

"Oh, I don't know. Some Humans and Jaffa are quite trustworthy." Sheila beamed happily at the other woman.

"Athena never trusted anyone; they would stab her in the back."

"Gee, you sure seem to know Athena pretty well. She must trust you implicitly," the girl said in a snarky tone.

Charlotte laughed, quite melodious. "Of course I do. I'm Pallas Athena, high servitor of Baal."

That seemed to anger Sheila greatly. "No, you're something with delusions of grandeur masquerading as a goddess." She gripped the edge of the heavy, oak desk and effortlessly flung it to the side and into a wall. "I'm not a goddess and I'm far more powerful than you." In a blur, Sheila had her held off the ground by her neck by hands that were stronger than steel.

Athena gripped Sheila's arm, trying to break free but was finding the strength overwhelming. "How?" she barely managed through the choking hold.

"My mother wasn't a fake goddess," Sheila said with a smirk.

The Goa'uld was getting desperate, slashing along Sheila's arm with one of her rings as a sharp spike cut the skin.

Sheila felt the burning along the scrape and realized she'd been poisoned. "Crap." With a snap, she broke Athena's neck and started moving towards the door.

Whatever that poison had been, it was very fast acting as it caused her steps to wobble slightly. She reached the door and grabbed the handle, only for a jolt of unearthly energies to surge through her hand from the handle. With a pained, surprised cry she was knocked back onto her side. Only the barest twinges showed that she was still alive, though paralyzed.

She was still berating herself for her stupidity when the hissing form of a Goa'uld slithered in front of her face.

If she could have screamed for help, she would have with every fiber of her being.

* * *

Baal looked up from where he was reading a newspaper while listening to a news channel in the background. "That's an interesting look for you, my dear." His sympathy positively oozed sarcasm.

Athena shrugged. "Unfortunately, my new host decided to kill my old body. So we'll need to get a replacement body and someone in it to do Charlotte's day to day business." She lay in the lounging couch in his office.

"Oh, I thought you liked your new body?" And the supposed power she thought it gave over himself, Baal failed to add.

"That is so last year. This body is terribly superior. Stronger, faster. Now if only I could keep the noisy thoughts to a bare minimum, it would be perfect," Sheila's body said.

"Hoktaur?" Baal asked in sudden avarice.

"Possibly. Possibly something much different." Athena stood up and walked over to the bar that was covered in expensive crystal decanters. "I haven't tested this body," she said as she snapped off a metal bar edging the counter. As she starts to bend the brass bar almost like it was putty, she started smiling. "But I have to say it is quite amazing. I can hear whispers hundreds of feet away and I seem to be much stronger than any biped I've ever heard of."

"Well," the last System Lord said with a drawl. "I'll have to see about getting an upgrade, as these Tauri like to say."

"It has a few kinks. I've never had a host that can mentally yell at me in six different thought at once."

"Six totally separate thought? I had heard of a Goa'uld that took a host that could do two thoughts at once. Six though, that sounds like it would be noisy in there," Baal said with a touch of humor.

"Considering that one of them is singing a Tauri song about rowing boats, I could do without it. She seems to think that I should vacate and is so deliciously angry about my occupation of her body. I'll crush her spirit and show her what it means to be a goddess."

The final two minds of Sheila did not speak as they acted in the confusion of the battleground of her mind.

* * *

"Yes, General Landry. I've decided to do some civilian work that isn't related to that program for right now," Athena said into the cellphone a week later.

"Miss Henderson, you signed an exclusive contract with us with severe monetary penalties if you broke it," General Landry replied into the speaker phone. Across his desk sat General Jack O'Neill, Lt. Colonel Samantha Carter, Lt. Colonel Cameron Mitchel, Daniel Jackson with Teal'c standing at the door of the small office. Vala walked in, sliding past Teal'c.

"My new work is just too intriguing, general. Even with the penalties, I'll be making an incredible amount of money. I was just hoping you'd understand," the Goa'uld said.

"Well, if you are certain? We really could use your expertise in languages."

"I'm sure. Thank you, general." Athena hung up the phone, shaking her head. Humans.

Landry looked over at everyone as he disconnected the line. "Well, that proves that, doesn't it?"

"Damn. How did a Goa'uld get on Earth?" Jack asked as he thought of what a firestorm this would cause among their allies.

"It's obvious this Athena doesn't know that Sheila can interface directly with computers. So when we received a message in a secure email that only the recipient can read (a neat trick, by the way) that said she was taken as a Goa'uld host, we are one step ahead of them. I liked the fact that she sent us two questions to prove that wasn't Sheila on the phone."

"That doesn't help us take her down. The email detailed just how physically dangerous that Sheila's body is. That doesn't even add the Goa'uld's ability to heal. The physical strength to lift an SUV and able to run faster than cars... we are talking a major hurdle if this were to come to a battle," Samantha said seriously. "Dr. Weir stated that she's quite capable of dodging bullets."

Daniel shook his head. "I'm just glad the Goa'uld doesn't have her intelligence or other mental attributes. She was integral with recovering Atlantis and our ship-building is hitting new strides. Her work on the 401 Gatefighter is a whole generation in advance of our 302s."

"She laid out her weaknesses. Do not give her any ability to move or respond. Poison or drug her. She is still only one person," Teal'c said intently. "We owe her to do all we can to save her from this Goa'uld."

"I think that pretty well sums it up, General Landry," Jack said.

"Now, how do we pull it off while uncovering this foothold situation. And not blowing this whole thing public," Cameron said.

"I never understood that. People will adjust and you'll get a lot more help from all your countries," Vala said in a very frustrated voice.

"We aren't ready for that yet. We have a specific time-table to adhere to for disclosure. And top of that list of to-do projects is real protection from any space-born threats," Landry countered.

Cameron just smiled. "Sounds like it's time to figure out a SG1 plan of action." Perfect, just like he wanted when he asked to be assigned to SG1. "Saving the world, one day at a time."

Sam rolled her eyes while Jack just hid a smile behind his knuckles as he leaned forward across the desk a bit.

"Indeed," Teal'c said inscrutably.

* * *

Athena held up the head of a Jaffa with one hand. "Worm. How dare you raise your hand against your gods," she said with a sneer.

"We- will kill- you!" the Jaffa got out barely. He struck out at her head, only to see her twist just so. The force of the attack slid past her to no effect.

The Goa'uld then broke his neck. With a negligent look toss, tossed him across the room. There were piles of Jaffa around the office. "Slaves. Soon, you will bow to your gods again. And beg for our torments to end as we punish you for your lack of faith."

The click as the 3D projection stopped was quite profound to the Jaffa Council.

Gerak slammed his fists down on hard counter of the new chambers. "This is an affront of our power. How can one false god have so much power? Our plan to capture one of Baal's advisers should have worked perfectly."

"It appears we must bring in the Tauri into this," an older asian looking Jaffa said.

"We will not be beholden to the Tauri! The Jaffa must be strong! We must be free due to our own power!" Gerak shouted.

"It is upon their own world that this problem is happening. I have already contacted their new general. What I learned... is disturbing," another Jaffa explained.

"Disturbing?" Gerak, the leader of the council, asked with narrowed eyes.

"They told me they were aware of the situation and were taking steps. They did say they would be happy for any assistance from the Jaffa Free Nation in dealing with their internal matter."

Gerak then pointed at the young woman who single-handedly tore apart the Jaffa assault force. The same woman that confronted the Prior in the Stargate Command conference. "And did they have an explanation of this Athena? How she went from being a minor attendant to having the physical power that we can not match?"

"Yes. They said Sheila is a civilian member of their Stargate Command. And that they were going to recover her at all costs."

All of the Jaffa shared looks of bewilderment.

"So they are taking steps?"

And what sort of steps could the Tauri do that were better than their own?

* * *

Ba'al looked over the report in front of him. "Atlantis? A City-Ship of the Ancients? The secrets within that beggar my imagination for the possibilities," the System Lord said softly.

Athena nodded. "Yes, indeed."

That was then the building shook.

"That was an explosion," Ba'al said in frustration. "It appears we have been discovered." He stood up and checked his tie.

Athena stood up and just kicked out the door.

"There's the target! Zulu! Zulu!" the leader of SG-15 called out. His entire team then launched grenades in a scattering pattern that she was just not prepared to deal with, leaving Athena only one option to dodge, back into the room past Ba'al, who was stunned by the Goa'uld stun-grenades clear across the room. That was when she felt the shields drop around the building.

"She evade! Omega One," yelled the same officer. "Shit, she just disappeared. Did we transport her?"

"Negative," Landry declared from Stargate Command called out. "Wait, we are receiving a message from Thor. He's reporting that he's captured her."

Up on the _Samantha__Carter_, Thor frowned as he looked over at the very upset Athena. "Do not bother attempting escape. Even the enhanced physical abilities of your host can not avail you within this forcefield."

"I should have expected to see an Asgard here, breaking the Treaty of Protected Worlds," Athena sneered, Sheila's features curling in the unusual manner of haughty command.

"In fact, your presence here is a direct breach of those accords,. The Asgard have a particular need and awareness of your host. You will relinquish Sheila Henderson immediately. If you do so, you will merely be imprisoned rather than having all of your holdings razed to the ground," Thor declared. "This has been decided at the highest levels of the Asgard Ruling Council."

"I refuse. She is my rightful host. You have no right to remove-"

A hologram of Sheila appeared in the air as she accessed the super-advanced computer systems of the ship. "He has every right, as the United States of America, where you attacked me, does not allow slavery. You are in illegal possession of my body and I want it back."

"You can control computers?" Athena suddenly sputtered.

"Your desires to retain Sheila Henderson as your host have been noted and disregarded. We shall remove you from her and imprison you. Because of your belligerence, you holdings will also be destroyed." Thor might as well have been talking about the weather.

"Damn you. Damn you all!" Athena shouted. "If I can't have her, no one will!"

"She's killing herself-" Sheila started to say, then her hologram cut out.

Thor started manipulating his controls, trying to get a life support pod out and save her life as the suicidal Goa'uld and host were convulsing on the ground.

* * *

Hours later, an Asgard life support pod appeared in the SG infirmary with Thor standing next to it. In another flash, Jack O'Neil appeared with his hand held out like he was shaking someones hand.

"Thor, you can't keep doing that," he groused. "I was in the middle of an important meeting. Luckily, they are in the know or I'd be in real trouble."

"I may have doomed our races in my arrogance, O'Neill," Thor said sadly. "The Goa'uld Athena refused to relinquish Sheila Henderson and committed suicide. Amazingly, Sheila Henderson has not died, but is struggling against the poison. But I have done all I can do."

"She's not dead?" Jack exclaimed. He moved over and looked at the comatose figure. "I thought the poison they made was always fatal?"

"I do not know. She has been this way for almost six hours. I am returning her to your people so that you might assist her in your own way-" Thor stopped at the tapping from inside the pod. If his face could show surprise, he would doing more than staring at Sheila as she visibly healed in front of him while knocking on the inside of the bubble.

"Um, I know my Asgard ain't that good, but I thought you said she was dying or near dead?" the general asked as he looked at here.

The pod split open along a seam at Thor's touch.

"I nearly died, but once I regained consciousness, I could direct my body to heal much more quickly. I should be fully healed in just a few minutes. Thank you, great Thor, for giving that abomination named Athena no choice. She did not deserve to live."

"Dr. Weir is going to be thrilled. She was really upset that we lost you," Jack said in relief. He waved off a squad of soldiers that burst into the infirmary.

"I have too many things to do. And Thor, I may have a solution to your clone problem." She had a sunny smile that almost lit up her hair in a golden halo.

"How long?" Jack snapped in eagerness.

"Um, maybe twenty minutes. It will probably take longer to get there-"

All three of the disappeared in a flash as the _Samantha__Carter_ was suddenly moving at full emergency sped.

General Landry just looked over at the soldier that had delivered a message. "Sheila is fine, General O'Neill is with Thor and they are headed to the Ida galaxy as of five minutes ago? I thought O'Neill was in a meeting with the IOA?"

That was when his phone started to ring. The red phone.

* * *

The _Samantha__Carter_ appeared out of hyperspace and slotted through all the Asgardian space traffic on the world it exited next to.

"So this is your new home world?" Sheila asked curiously.

"Yes, we are attempting to rebuild after the Replicators," the diminutive war-commander of the Asgard explained as he carefully moved controls.

"You know, I really should be back on Earth," Jack said carefully. "I'm all for saving the Asgard, but I'm just window dressing here."

"I think that Thor is trying to show you honor by you being here. I believe he is saying that this could not be possible without you," Sheila said softly.

"She is correct," the Asgardian said while blinking once in acknowledgment. His hand waved across a control and they disappeared from the bridge of the warship.

Just a moment they appeared in a new building that was breathtaking in its beauty. Inside, rows of six foot tall glass cylinders lay in cradles or floated to different areas where high tech machines worked. It was softly lit with an orange light.

"This is your creché? The place where you create new clones?" the young demigoddess asked.

Thor nodded. "No non-Asgardian has been allowed here before. This is a... sacred, yet sad place where the hubris of our race lies."

"Please take me to the youngest and new Asgardians, kind warrior," she asked in a solemn tone.

Jack raised an eyebrow, but even he could see that a snarky comment was very inappropriate. Thor led them back to a different area, where smaller tubes filled with barely formed Asgardians existed and were cared for by life support machines.

Sheila was looking around. "I will need to physically touch the child for just a second. I would be more than happy to be scrubbed totally clean."

"You should be sanitized enough, though it is appreciated."

"This area is for authorized people only," a voice called out from a doorway that just opened. "Why have they been allowed here in this place?" The Asgard in the doorway had a slightly higher tone.

"I seek to cure one of the children here to save your race," Sheila said calmly. "And this is the place I must be to do that."

"She had a cure? Why have the labs not said anything-?" the new Asgardian asked.

"She will not be using science. We must take it on faith," Thor replied, holding up his thin gray arm to forestall her questions. His other hand was manipulating one of the fetus cases.

"I may need a second one. What I may do here may revert some things that were done to your genome," she replied.

The container floated over in front of her and open slightly. Her finger brushed through the water so quickly to touch the baby that the water barely ripppled. Then she looked down as the seemingly unchanged form inside of it. "Done. The child should be born free of any defect. I believe that he will come to fruitation within just a week?"

"That is correct," the new Asgardian said.

"He must be fully born. Do you take any samples until he is decanted?" Her tone was serious and harsh.

O'Neill coughed. "You do know that Asgardians are gender-neuter, right?"

Sheila laughed, surprising them all. "They won't be able to say that any more. That other child?"

Thor moved his hands to send over another cloning chamber.

Sheila smiled after she touched this one also. "Female." She looked sadly at all the other dozens and dozens of tubes. "If only I could save them all."

"They are not alive and may never be activated," the female-sounding Asgardian called out. "Not if there is a true cure."

"We shall have to see," Thor said grimly.

* * *

"Incoming wormhole!" was yelled out in Stargate Command.

Chevrons were locking in place with grim thunks of metal on metal. As soon as the wormhole wooshed out and back, trinium armor plates locked into place, sealing the Stargate.

"It's the Asgard. They are sending Thor through while returning Sheila Henderson and General O'Neill back," the technician called out.

Cameron nodded. "Open the iris and signal them that it is safe."

Jack ambled through the gate like it was a walk in the park. Thor was almost as sedate, even if he had to shuffle along faster. But Sheila again had a problem, glowing very, very brightly.

She looked at her brilliantly lighting up hand in surprise, then in deep thought.

"What is happening to you, Miss Henderson?" Thor asked.

"An evolution in my self, it appears. The glow is not receding," she said in bafflement.

"Is she going to make my hair fall out?" Jack asked the command center.

"No, it appears to just be light," Colonel Cameron Mitchell replied. "Damnedest thing I've seen today."

Sheila pursed her lips, trying to move the glow around. Finally, she settled for moving it to the crown of her head and into her hair. "Does it look okay this way?"

"You have glowing hair and a halo," Jack noted.

"It doesn't want to stop. I don't think it will."

"Which means you have an idea of what is going on then," he noted back.

"It is ascension," Thor said in wonder. "She is becoming like the Ancients."

"Er, more like my mother. I'm not sure I'm ready for that step yet." Sheila had a frown on her face. "Its a bit irrevocable and I'm not eighteen yet."

"Well, let me know how that goes. Speaking of that, I have to call the president and joint chief's. They are probably going to be a mite upset at you Thor, old buddy. Luckily, we have something to derail that, hmm?" Jack said to his old friend with a wide smile.

"Indeed." That small alien seemed to be quite content.

"I'll be invited to that, right?" she asked.

That was when General Landry entered the command center. "Maybe after you've been checked out by the infirmary."

Sheila rolled her eyes, but ambled after the soldier that was sent to guide her. It wasn't an hour later that she was led back up to the debriefing room where Jack, Thor and the rest of SG-1 were sitting. "All for me?"

"Well, you were the one pulling miracles out of your hat," Jack said with a grin.

"That's what is confusing me," Sam said in consternation. "Ja- General O'Neill says that you cured the Asgard, but won't explain how beyond it being miraculous."

"General..." Sheila just about growled at Jack. "He's teasing you because you are a very logical person."

"I know he's smarter than he let's most people know, so I don't understand why he hasn't explained it," the scientist complained, much to Cameron, Daniel, Vala and Teal'c's combined amusement.

"There's nothing to explain other than I mystically healed at couple of their preborn clones. A miracle." Sheila shrugged.

General Landry blinked in shock. "You can just do that?"

"Yes, actually I can. I just don't use those sort of powers most of the time. But saving an entire race is more than enough reason to forgo being stubborn and looking for a scientific result. So I cheated," she replied simply.

"Heh. Not that we haven't had to do things like that before," Jack said with a grin. "So, Thor old buddy here is saying that if things work out that the Asgard will be in better shape in about three months. They've really been devoting a lot of effort to figure a cure out and they will start to be able to do other things than fight to survive."

"I understand that Atlantis is about a week away?" Sheila suddenly asked.

Daniel spoke up first, even through the pain of losing Vala just a few weeks ago. "Yes, they are most of the way to the Milky Way. If they weren't in hyperspace, I would have-"

"Already been told that you can't go there until they find a place on Earth to stash it. Luckily, Atlantis is going to come to you," Samantha said with a grin.

"We are going to set up an access back to the Pegasus galaxy, but it not going to be inside the most technology important discovery that we need to decipher." Jack looked a bit harder than normal in his blunt and forward statement. "We are going to use that to get Earth the protection it needs. No matter what."

"I can't argue with that," Sheila said carefully.

* * *

The Ancient city ship of Atlantis appeared on the far side of the Moon. Dr. Weir nodded to her 'crew' of the ship. "Prepare to cloak."

"Cloaking the city," was reported very shortly. The whole city shimmered and then disappeared.

"And move us to Antartica," the leader of the expedition ordered.

Sheppard and McKay watched closely as they carefully came around the Moon and entered the Earth's orbit. McKay spoke first. "Well, finally home."

"Teyla isn't too happy. I've told her that we are going to send another expedition to Pegasus, even set up a military outpost. But we just can't endanger Atlantis. It's too valuable," John said as he frowned. But no one was saying how soon that was going to be.

That was when a the outer door above the jumper bay opened and a Puddle Jumper decloaked.

"Whoa!" McKay called out as he started to freak out.

Sheila waved through the window of the Puddle Jumper, calming them down. She led SG1 over out the back. "Dr. Weir," she called out while waving. "It appears the sensors are blinded for a few minutes after coming out of hyperspace."

"So that's what that was all about then. I was wondering," the leader of Atlantis said with a wry grin.

"Well, and Daniel couldn't wait to get to Atlantis before it actually made it to Earth. Even if it was only minutes before," Cameron said. "Dr. Weir, it's good to meet you."

"This is Colonel Mitchell, Colonel Carter, Daniel Jackson and Teal'c," Sheila said. "I'm not sure if you've ever met them before."

"A few times," Elizabeth acknowledged. "So ships exiting hyperspace are vulnerable to stealthed ships, even with Ancient sensors."

"Sheila had thought it was likely and it seemed like a good thing to test in advance," Sam said as she saw Daniel walk off with Dr. McKay.

"I didn't know Stargate Command had another Puddle Jumper," John said in an almost plaintive note.

"It's an old one that they scavenged. I refurbished it a bit," Sheila said with a quirky grin. "They won't let me see what was plugged into it." She gave Sam an odd look at that.

"General's orders. No one is to do any research into that until authorized," the scientist explained.

They watched in hope and excitements as the ancient city ship returned to its mighty berth, beams of energy carving down to the outpost and the surrounding snow and ice.

"And it will never have to leave again," Dr. Weir said solemnly.

"Say, I've had an idea to link Atlantis to Stargate Command and other, secure locations. I've been studying the beaming technology. With the right satellites, we could revolutionize transportation easily. And the first Neutrino Ion Reactors will be finished in the next month," Sheila said excitedly. "It's going to be one of three reactors that the United States is going to use to replace all fossil and nuclear fuel plants on Earth."

Rodney McKay whistled at that. "And our IOA allies?"

"Russia and China are getting two. Each of the others gets another one," Samantha said. "The oil and coal industry just crashed, but it also bumps up disclosure by almost three years."

"What are you going to use to transfer the energy into the old grid?" McKay asked curiously.

"We've started laying down a new infrastructure of distribution plants and zero-impedance trinium wire. It's an old Ancient technology that we can duplicate."

"Sheila," Tayla said seriously. "When are my people coming home?" The white streak in her hair shown brightly in the white, artificial light.

"They are on the first plane already. And they are _not_ too impressed with Earth technology, by the way. It seems our 'old' planes just aren't good enough for them compared to Puddle Jumpers," she replied with a grin.

"Well, they are much, much more primitive," John noted with his own, answering grin.

"Not yet the Ancestors?" the darker skinned woman asked impishly.

"Give us a couple hundred years." Sheila seemed very serious about that.

* * *

Colonel Carter led SG22 back through the Stargate on Earth. "Sir, our mission was a bust. And we were not on the right planet."

"What do you mean?" General Landry called out from the observation booth. "Walter? Verify the dialing address."

"Verifying," the technical officer called back. "Sir, it seems to be the right address."

"General Landry? A suggestion," Sheila called out from the back of the command booth.

"Yes?" the older, gruff officer asked.

"Have Atlantis send out someone to the same address. See what happens," the young scion said.

"That's right, we do have both Stargates active." Having two Stargates on one planet was always a headache to Samantha, though it had saved their lives at various points.

Twenty minutes later, SGA-2 dialed back to Earth and informed them that there was no MALP, so they did not think they were on the right planet.

"This is a security system. Someone is shunting them to a different address," Sheila said as her fingers were dancing across the keyboard.

Walter frowned. "So how are we going to get there?"

Samantha looked over his shoulder. "We need to decipher why it is happening."

"Someone is hiding something. I'm interrogating the target Stargate. There's the MALP. The Dial Home Device has been jury rigged," Sheila replied. "Decoding. I have a radio-frequency code that we can use to bypass this. It does not appear to interfered with outbound dialing."

"Carter, I want you and SG1 to get to that planet now. Henderson, if you could accompany them."

Sheila gave the Stargate an uncomfortable look. "Yes, sir."

* * *

Colonel Mitchell looked around. "Trees. You okay there, Henderson?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine," she replied as she moved the glow to her hair again. "This is getting a bit unnerving."

Daniel and Teal'c both gave her a measuring look.

"It's going to take until nightfall for us to verify that we made it through to the right location, sir!" Samantha called out.

"Tetrahertz frequency." Sheila was all of a sudden looking around. "I think we are in the right location. So we should set up the gravity sensors."

"I want a perimeter sweep of the area," Cameron decided.

"I'd try that way. There's a disused path that leads off to the west," the scion said as she leaned over to see Samantha fiddling with the Dial Home Device.

Teal'c and Daniel shared a look and started heading off, their green uniforms blending into the grass.

"I have a strange feeling," Sheila said to Cameron. "Do you get the feeling that we've been herded here?"

"Herded? How?" Cameron said, his nagging itch on the back of his neck suddenly coming into focus.

"How is tricky. As to why, I bet that something important for here is going to be found. Something that will make a difference."

"This is Jackson. We found a set of transport rings," he called out from just over the hill. He was looking at the set of rings embedded in the ground. "Sheila was right. There must have been an old path to here."

Minutes later, Cameron led everyone but Samantha and her science team down into a disused and dust-caked cave.

"This is a lab. Like Nirrti used to use," Daniel said as he shown his light around.

"Let me get some use out of my problem," Sheila called out, allowing her glow to come forward, lighting up the whole cave.

"A control console," Teal'c noted. "This does seem familiar. This looks very like the sort of place where Hoktar were created."

"Advanced humans. How very interesting!" Sheila almost squealed out.

Cameron and Daniel gave her an odd look, squelching her enthusiasm. "I sometimes forget you are only seventeen," the colonel said.

"I'm almost eighteen," she griped with a pout on her face that dropped as soon as she started reading the Goa'ul on the controls. "Ooh. DNA mapping holography. Can we steal this?" Her hands danced over it faster than Daniel could stop her, lighting up a set of holograms with a DNA Helix.

"You should not have done that," Daniel griped. "I needed to decipher that first."

"I can read Goa'uld perfectly fine, _Doctor_ Jackson." Then she sighed. "All I did was to pull up the last database entry. Hmm. I should download the information here."

"That's a good idea. Because we're not alone," Cameron said from across the room where a man in stasis was standing in a shadowed corner.

Daniel was heading over when Cameron hit a button on the control panel next to the stasis booth. With a muted flash of light, the stasis chamber deactivated and the man in the tube collapsed. Cameron and Daniel headed over immediately.

"My nose-ring sense is tingling," Sheila said in a sotto-voice.

Teal'c just raised an eyebrow at that. "You feel we are being manipulated?"

"I would say so." Her blue-green eyes were glowing under her radiance. "Make sure his airways are not obstructed, but he's just undergoing a minor shock. We can take him back to Stagate Command."

* * *

"Well, colonel, you managed to not get yourself infected," the new female doctor of Stargate Command, Carolyn Lam, said in an acerbic tone. Her long, dark hair was tied back.

Sheila snickered from her own bed were here feet were propped up, working on a notebook computer. Her hair was glowing quite brightly right then.

"Laugh it up, fuzzball!" he shot right back to her in good humor.

"I think that's Colonel Shepard," she replied without looking up.

"All vitals are normal for you. Unlike Sheila and our guest," Dr. Lam said seriously.

Samantha and Cameron looked over at her from their beds where they had been told to lay down. "What?"

"And she's how special?" Cameron asked curiously as he stood up, adjusting his battle dress uniform.

"Our friend here has a metabolism that is impossible. She is at rest at a level of physical capability where most people have to 'warm up' to get to." Dr. Lam looked a bit startled at that. "From our new friend here has several markers of Ancient genetics.

Sheila sat there while the doctor and two colonels interrogated. She frowned at what she was hearing. Something was not matching.

"Colonel Carter; Colonel Mitchell, permission to return to P3X-584? I would like to join Dr. Jackson and the science team there," Sheila asked as she stood up.

"Certainly. You and Daniel are some of the very few people that can speak Ancient," Samantha said with a soft smile.

"Actually, I think some of the Athosians are starting to pick it up pretty well," she replied.

"Keep us posted on your progress," Cameron called out.

She was soon ringing down into the facility. "Hey, doc! Wassup?" she said in her best Bugs Bunny impression.

"Don't give up your day job," he called out. "Say, do you think you can do something about this power supply? It keeps messing up my data searches by glitching they system." The archaeologist looked very haggard as he worked.

"Sure." They chatted for the twenty minutes before the rest of SG-5 arrived and brought him up to date, she had the system mostly up and was starting to do advanced diagnostics. "Hmm. This is even more advanced than the equipment on Atlantis. That's actually kind of scary."

Teal'c frowned eloquently. "That sounds like we should be moving this equipment to Stargate Command then."

"I'm game for that. Shouldn't take that long," Sheila said.

The members of SG-5 gave her a look of long suffering. "We can't just do that. This is highly advanced Goa'uld technology-"

"Actually, it's mostly Ancient. Upgraded Ancient technology, at that. And I'm pretty much the expert at their stuff these days. Don't worry. Daniel, I'm going to leave you the database while I move the genetic resequencer and stasis pod."

The archeologist looked up from what he was reading. "Later. We need to get back to Stargate Command _now_." Daniel was suddenly deadly serious.

* * *

Daniel had just let drop the metaphorical bomb in the gateroom.

General Landry looked shocked. "He's a clone with the memories of Anubis?"

"Essentially, he is the son of Anubis."

"So he needs to be locked down as soon as possible," Sheila said seriously.

"Debriefing. I want all of SG1 along with you, Sheila, and explain this right now." General Landry led Sheila, Teal'c and Daniel to the conference room as Cameron and Samantha met them up.

"What's going on?" Samantha asked as she sat down.

"Kahlek is a genetically grown clone with Anubis's memories," Sheila explained helpfully.

Samantha looked shocked, shooting a glance at Daniel and Teal'c. "She's kidding, right?"

Daniel shook his head grimly. "No. If anything, she's not being serious enough."

Cameron looked confused. "I'm not sure what the problem is."

"His body physiology is very similar to the Ancients," Samantha said. "In fact, he's very, very advanced."

"Possibly near ascended. And if he really does have Goa'uld DNA, he has all of the memories of that Goa'uld," Daniel was explaining. "We do not need another Anubis running around or ascending on us. If this is the case like it looks like, I suggest we put him right back in his stasis box." The bespectacled archeologist looked very upset. "Or kill him."

That seemed to surprise General Landry, as Daniel Jackson was usually the last one to suggest the most violent of responses. "Are you sure?"

"General, we've just barely won the war against the Goa'uld. Do we want to have to fight that war again while dealing with the Ori?" Daniel asked in a harsh tone.

"No, son, we do not."

* * *

Sheila stood around the corner of the interrogation booth as Daniel sparred verbally with Khalek out of sight.

"And who are your interesting friends? They have such vibrant, loud minds," the hybrid creature called out suddenly.

Daniel looked over in confusion. It was just him and Sheila.

"He was talking about me," Sheila said, walking around the corner. Her hair was glowing softly, lighting up the room slightly more. "Na-Anubis."

"Isn't... Where is Athena?" the prisoner asked.

"She's just a memory in my head after she refused to vacate. She committed suicide rather than giving up my 'advanced' body," Sheila explained, ignoring the whispers of the Goa'uld Athena in her mind.

"So many voices in your head. Are you even sane?" Khalek asked. His eyes seemed to stare from the deep shadows under his prominent brows, his handsome lips curled in a cold smile.

"Sane enough."

Khalek just smiled. "So will your advanced human face off against me then, saving you from having to bloody your hands, Daniel Jackson? Or will you allow me the pleasure... the wonder of spilling her life's blood?"

"And we can add seriously whacked as part of his mental outlook," Sheila said to Daniel with a grin.

"In your professional opinion?" he asked.

"In my very professional opinion. Certifiable loony. But not going anywhere." Sheila had a very hard look at Khalek.

* * *

Sheila whistled as she pushed the stasis pod through the Stargate. The fifteen hundred pound device was scraping along as Airforce soldiers moved other devices out of the gateroom. The genetic resequencer had been on the first of the three trips, as it had been easier to move.

"Sheila, there's been a situation. Khalek tried to escape and hurt Colonel Carter," General Landry called out.

"So it's a good thing we have this stasis pod. I'll need to hook it up to its own power supply and then we'll truck him out of here to a safe location," she said. "How bad is it with Colonel Carter?"

"A heavy concussion and a shattered shoulder. She's in surgery right now." Landry sounded very upset.

"Where do you want this?" she asked.

"On that pallet. We'll get a forklift up here in ten minutes," Walter replied then just blinked as she _picked__up_ the three thousand pound device with effort.

"Guess I'll head down to medical. You may want to let Daniel know what's going on back there." Sheila walked through the security doors and down to medical. She let Dr. Lam check her out.

Then, ten minutes later, she was standing outside the security room. "You know, these Goa'uld forcefields aren't _that_tough."

"Well, unless you have a better idea, they are staying," the military police said. "General's orders."

"I do have a few better ideas. I'll take it up with General Landry." Sheila waited until the all clear was given and then stepped in. With a glance at him, she could tell that the IV drip was not working as effectively as it should.

Khalek's eyes snapped open as he telekinetically flung Sheila back into the activating forcefield with enough force to overload it. The Military Police on the other side of the glass mirror stabbed down on the button to electrocute the human-goa'uld hybrid even as the two soldiers in the room found their guns would not trigger. Then they stepped up and tried to club him down, only to find their feet stuck to the metal grill-work beneath them.

"Crap," Sheila croaked as she smoldered a bit outside the room as she lay on her back. "He must have been monitoring my thoughts." She stood back up just in time to see Khalek step off the electrocution platform and using it to kill the two soldiers by letting it finally activate.

The two dead soldier's guns floated up and pointed at the staggering female outside. With a defeaning chattering, the machine guns started firing. Khalek was grinning widely until Sheila's hand's started to blur in a wu-shu roll of movement, slapping aside the bullets. The alarms started to sound as one of the bullets hit the alarm switch.

"I guess that won't work," the hybrid said conversationally. "We'll have to try this another way."

"Bring it, asshole!" Sheila said as she made a come-hither gesture made famous in the Matrix movie.

A wave of pure force erupted from Khalek, but somehow Sheila slithered around it, leaving a trail of dissipating smoke behind her. He attempted that three more times, driving her further and further back.

Teal'c and a squad of soldiers rounded the corner. Training kicked in and they unleashed a hailstorm of bullets that just bounced off the air in front of Khalek. With a wave, he flung them all back agains the unforgiving concrete walls of the Stargate base. Only Teal'c was even slightly conscious afterwards.

Sheila took that moment to charge him, but found herself bounced off another forcefield and into a far off wall. "Okay. I have _got_ to learn telekinesis sometime."

"I'm sorry, but you have run out of time." Khalek grabbed her telekinetically and then bashed her against two walls hard enough to crack the concrete in. Suddenly, she dropped to the ground on her feet before he could throw her again, bloodied but unbowed. "How?"

"I am still far more in control of myself than you can contemplate," Sheila retorted.

Khalek took off at a run, shutting a door closed behind him.

Sheila stopped moving and started thinking. She took control of one of the phones to speak to the command center, where General Landry was just walking in. "General Landry, please dial Atlantis for a short range connection." She took off at a blur, opening an elevator and then leaping down over ten stories. She had that elevator door opened with a shove and then was heading down to the security lab.

"Why?" the officer demanded into the overhead.

"We need to get the genetic resequencer off base as soon as possible," she communicated as she opened the door into the main lab.

"Sheila? What are you doing?" Dr. Bill Lee asked.

"Evacuate. A homicidal alien with advanced super-human powers is on his way to steal the genetic resequencer. He will kill anyone in his way," she declared as she started to quickly disconnect the device.

The pudgy scientist blinked, then looked over to his coworkers. "You heard her. Out."

"The back way. Quickly." Sheila hefted the half-disassembled device over her shoulder and took off at a trot, just beating Khalek out as he opened another elevator down the drab halls.

"How dare you! That is my destiny!" Khalek shouted. He raised his hand, but he hesitated. The device in her hands was too precious.

"Catch me if you can!" she cat-called, heading off in a blur that almost boomed behind her. In just a moment, she was at the sealed doorway that closed off the Gateroom. The card reader be-beeped even without the card and then with one hand she slid open the door. "Just in time."

The last chevron slammed home and the stargate exploded outward in a watery geyser.

"Shield is down. Atlantis is ready, Sheila." General Landy was personally looking down as the demigoddess as she lightly tossed the resequencer through the gate.

"Shut it down and have Atlantis dial us." Sheila crouched down and shifted herself into a shadow almost perfectly, holding her mind exceedingly blank.

Landry blinked, then suddenly grinned. "He won't be able to escape. Of course."

The gate disconnected and then started to receive the dialing code from Atlantis. The armored door started to thump as Khalek encountered the obstruction. He quickly learned to override the electronic locks and then slid the door open again as he saw the stargate engage again.

"There's no escape this way, Khalek. And your precious resequencer that you need to ascend has been put behind ancient shields. Now... there is only our final conflict," Sheila promised.

Up in the control room, all the screens were lighting up with words, 'Evacuate.' General Landry looked confused, until the first strikes from Sheila and Khalek resounded across the room. Khelek's telekinetic assault missed Sheila, but smashed a small hole in the concrete. She unleashed some sort of red energy in a wave that the Goa'uld hybrid barely blocked. It deflected into the security door, exploding outwards.

"Fall back. Cut the computers and power. I want more men and guns moved up immediately," the general ordered.

Cameron came around a corner, nearly running into a staggering Teal'c and Daniel Jackson. "What's going on?"

"Khalek wasn't as sedated as we thought," Daniel replied. "He's killed several MPs and is fighting Sheila-"

The ground shook from some sort of impact in the distance.

"-Sheila to a standstill. We can't let him get off planet."

Teal'c had his staff weapon readied. "We should assist SheilaHenderson."

"Right, buddy. Let's do this by the numbers," Cameron said to the two and the soldiers with them. He led the way down the passage where the rubble of the security door was laying in a crumpled pile.

Inside the room, the stargate was actually knocked off of its stand and was leaning against the wall as Sheila ran along one wall, pock-marks of concrete exploding behind her with the force of a grenade as Khalek attacked her.

Cameron hand-signed for his men to get ready. With a chopping motion, he ordered their attack.

Khalek barely reacted to the murderous intent in time. Bullets and a staff blast started to push him back, even with his telekinetic forcefield. He had a rictus of hate upon his face as he raised his arm up to start killing his new attackers.

Khalek was nearly knocked off his feet as a spinning metal panel slammed into his telekinetic field from a totally different direction by Sheila. In a blur, she was right up next to the hybrid, unleashing a full-powered side kick that Khalek was barely able to block.

Cameron, Teal'c and all the MP's stopped firing, but Daniel Jackson still had a good angle and fired three more times as Sheila tried to punch through the telekinetic field again. One bullet missed, a second merely clipped the monster while the third hit center-mass.

Khalek's look was quite priceless, as it seemed he could not understand how something so primitive could hurt him. Sheila then kicked him backwards so that she slid to the edge of the active stargate. His heels hit the edge, sending him spinning into oblivion as he was dematerialized into the wrong direction gate.

"Good shot, Dr. Jackson," Sheila said while panting. "I think we're going to have to run things out of Atlantis for a while."

"What happened to you," Cameron shouted as he ran up.

"Got thrown through that Goa'ul forcefield. It hurt a bit."

"Then it's off to the new doc for you," Cameron ordered. "Come on. Teal'c needs to be looked at too."

* * *

Sheila was walking along a hallway in Atlantis at the Antarctica outpost two weeks later after having been released from the infirmary. "Dr. Weir!"

"Hello, Sheila!" the administrator of the important facility called out. "Teyla has been looking for you."

"Thanks. I do have a bit of an update, though probably not quite what she is wanting to hear." Sheila nodded and gave the administrator a wave as they split up.

Sheila found Teyla sparring with Sheppard with escrima sticks. They were flurrying, blocking and using tripping attacks while fighting at a very hard pace. Sheila hopped onto a window ledge overlooking the

The Athosian was, as normal, teaching Sheppard in the school of hard knocks. After a particularly vicious heel-hook and snaking both escrima stick to hit his shoulders with numbing force, the Airforce colonel bounced on the pads heavily.

"I think he's done for a bit," Sheila said sagely.

"Oh, hello, Sheila," John said woozily.

"If you just noticed me, you probably need situational training during your sparring," she noted.

"Might be," he said while gasping air.

"But that is for later," Teyla said with a warm smile. She put all the escrima sticks away and helped John up. "I wish the view was more pleasant." She was looking out at the blasted and white landscape as her fingers played nervously with her white-washed bangs.

"It's a place where almost no one is going to come or see. Well, no putting off bad news," Sheila finally exclaimed. "The IOA has refused to send more than a single ship on 'extended' voyages until we can overcome the disparity in firepower in the Pegasus galaxy."

"They are writing off an entire galaxy?" John snapped in angry, intent awareness.

"No. But they are unwilling to start a second war just after just winning the war against the Goa'uld and while the Ori are threatening. They feel we need _time_ to build up some real forces," she replied. "I'm doing what I can to help by upgrading the infrastructure here on Earth."

"Are not the Tauri advanced?" Teyla asked. "I know you sought the City of the Ancestors for its technology-"

"But we aren't _that_ advanced, Teyla. We were probably only a couple of hundred years more advanced than some of the better civilizations in the Pegasus galaxy. Only fifty more years better than the Genii." Sheppard hated to admit it.

"It can't happen instantly. But I'm going to see if I can take a few shortcuts. I may be over ruled though." Sheila shrugged helplessly. "The _Daedalus_ will be heading out, but it is unsupported and the Earth really doesn't have that many ships."

"So many people are going to die," Teyla whispered.

"Many people are dying. But we are not all powerful. Come on, let's get lunch." Sheila led Teyla and John to the commissary for some food.

They were just sitting down when Daniel and a battered Sam joined them. Daniel was holding both of their trays.

"Hello!" Sam said. "I've been helping decipher the computer system. The core here had more items hidden than we first thought." She smiled over to Teal'c in thanks.

"How's the shoulder?" John asked the military scientist.

"Still hurting quite a bit. I just wish we had someone else that can use the healing device," Sam said carefully as she was still in quite a bit of pain.

"Healing device?" Sheila asked.

"Yes. It's a Goa'uld hand-device that allows them to accelerate healing. But you either have to be a Goa'uld of have had one die... Oh!"

Everyone was realizing what Sam had just cottoned to.

"Sheila can use a hand-device too," Daniel exclaimed happily. "We do have one or two being studied at Area-51."

"They won't let me go to Area-51. Too many civilians that might ask questions about my glowing hair," Sheila said with a grimace of frustration. It still would not stop glowing, though it was quite muted.

"So what do you have planned?" Sam asked Sheila.

"Some checking into starship designs. As a matter of fact, I should probably do that now." Sheila stood up and waved to them as she headed out and then down the halls of Atlantis. She entered an engineering room that she had taken over as her 'office'. "Hello, Fred. Just running a diagnostic on the Neutrino Ion Generators?"

Dr. Fredrick Holmes nodded. "Basically running in idle, of course. But it's very nice to be nearly to full normal power."

She slid into the seat, holograms flashing to life. Many of the screens were filled with Aurora schematics. The design had been discovered within the full database that kept expanding. A smaller window, unobtrusive window was in the lower right-hand area that showed the status of auto-fabricators on an asteroid. The Ceres base was working up to full speed and the first Minerva-class cruise would be completed in just a few short months. But with all of the spies that had infiltrated Stargate Command, Sheila had decided to keep that close to the chest.

That was when all the lights dimmed and the alert started to sound.

Sheila took one look and blinked. "Dr. Holmes, lock your department down. No one comes in or out until authorized." She was moving at a quick pace towards the control room of Atlantis.

Rodney was going over screens. "Forcefields have been raised and the jumper has been isolated. It's some sort of bio-hazard," he as explaining.

"To be more specific, it is a warning against a bio-weapon. This actually says it is similar to the plague that wiped out the ancients in some way. Luckily, humanity isn't as highly advanced so it isn't as immediately fatal," Sheila said as she activated the Ancient control systems.

Weir and Carter both blinked. "A bio-weapon?"

"Colonel Carter, I would recommend that we contact Stargate Command. They may not even be aware of this. That Jumper came from Cheyenne Mountain," she replied.

Sheppard swore under his breath. "I'm on that, Colonel." He moved to another computer and started to bring up a computer communication screen.

Weir nodded and then turned to the screen. "Dr. Geiksmark, I'm afraid you are quarantined as of this moment."

"Quarantined? Is this some sort of American joke?" the scientist said.

"Atlantis has detected a weaponized biologic agent among your crew. You will not be allowed to exit your Jumper at this point." Weir sounded very, very serious.

Teyla was _very_ glad that most of her people were inside of Atlantis already.

Daniel was leaning over Shepperd's console, talking to General Landry. "Do you think this could be something from the Goa'uld?"

"We're going through things on our end, but it appears that SG-5 that was investigating the Ori incursion may be the infectious point. But our tests did not spot this at all and some of the team was cleared to leave base," Landry replied from Stargate Command. "We are instigating containment, but it may be already too late."

Two unmanned Jumpers suddenly powered up and moved out.

"I'm setting the Jumpers to autonomous drone sensor mode," Sheila called out. The Jumpers appeared on the screen to start a circling pattern over Stargate Command. Little flashes of red started to appear. "Oh, crap."

Sheppard and Carter both looked over at that. "Is that what I think it is?" the female colonel asked.

"If it looks like an infection that is spreading like wildfire, then yes. This is insane," she said is shock.

* * *

Hours later, Atlantis sat under its forcefield that had activated by itself. The alarm chime was still sounding, as Rodney had not figured out the over-ride to turn them off.

Weir looked at her premeire teams that were on base. "This has gotten well above serious. The Ori plague appears to be a morphic infectious disease of incredible ability. The databases here notes some similarties with early forms of the Ancient plague that wiped them out in this galaxy and drove them to the Pegasus galaxy."

"This may not be able to be cured through normal means," Sheila said solemnly.

Cameron and Sheppard looked at her incongruously. Camera spoke up first. "You're saying we can't do anything?"

"No, I'm saying that the normal means of replicating a cure or vaccine will most likely be ineffective. It's morphed every time I've mapped it down to the atomic level," Sheila said with a frown. "This is not normal. If I didn't know better, I'd assume that it was magically based. But I'm getting the inkling that it is mathematically based somehow. Not magic."

Daniel Jackson nodded. "This is far beyond what the Goa'uld could have ever done. Though we are investigating if the Tokra have any means to help us. Their physiology is very advanced at curing diseases. Teal'c has promised what aid the Free Jaffa Nation can spare, but it looks like the Ori are attacking them at their weakest point."

Cameron nodded. "Gerak is pushing the council to adopt Origin as the Jaffa's new religion."

Weir spun her chair around, looking Sheila directly in her eyes. "Sheila, I'm authorizing you to do whatever you need to stop this plague. The fate of every human on Earth hangs in the balance."

"Yes, ma'am."

Carter looked over at that with a curious, though hard, look. "I'm working with Dr. Bill Lee on a method to negate Prior powers. This is so we can capture the Prior that set this plague on us. Sheila, we might need to borrow you to test it on. You're the only advance person we have that has powers like that."

"I'll try to keep myself available," Sheila replied adroitly.

The meeting went on for another ten minutes, but nothing more was decided. Sheila headed to her office and sat in her computer console. The holograph screens were crunching away at the Ori plague. Sheila then brought up a timeline of advancement and noted how much time it was estimating for resolving the issue, using the original Ancient research into the disease that nearly wiped them out.

Two years was far too long. Carter, Rodney and Beckett would continue working on a more standard cure, so she would have to look at an alternative. The hairs on the back of her neck prickled. Her eyes started to look around, seeing a strange energy that was invisible to most sensors.

"Who's there?" she called out.

The energy moved on, right through the wall. Sheila slipped back into her console and opened a communication window. "Rodney, can you run an higher intensity scan. I think we have an energy being moving around in Atlantis."

"Great. When it rains, it pours." The Canadian was none too thrilled, but started checking in the main control room. "It's headed to lab number six. And it's... this is crazy. This is like the Asgardian energy transporter effect, but from subspace."

Samantha Carter looked over at the tween that appeared. "Who are you?"

"I'm Orlin," he replied.

The female colonel blinked at that. She then hit a button on her console. "Please cancel the intruder alert. I believe it might be friendly."

The kid just smiled.

* * *

Sheila nodded as she listened to Sam, Daniel and Cameron interrogate the descended Ancient through a video-link. "Interesting." She looked over her several projects. Carter and her team were working on capturing the Prior and interrogating Orlin, who was offering her help. Which indicated that a purely scientific resolution would not work. She opened a video window. "Dr. Zelenka, could you come to my office? I have an idea."

The bespectacled scientist wandered in about twenty minutes later. "I thought you were assigned to the plague problem?"

"I am, but I do not think a normal scientific response will work. So I have the idea of using the Genetic Resequencer," she explained as she pulled up the specification of the device on a floating holo-screen.

"I'm not sure that I'd be able to help with this, but I can make sure it's connected correctly," the scientist explained cautiously.

"Actually, I asked you here to be my backup. I plan to use this upon myself. If that fails, I would ask that you try to use it on your fairly advanced physiology to attempt to ascend and then cure the plague before the Ancients can step in." Her blue-green eyes stared at him intently.

"But Carter seems to think that she and Orlin can actually cure this plague, once they have a sample of the primary vector, don't they?"

"So all the Ori need to do to kill us all is hide one person across the galaxy?"

Zelenka winced at that. "Ah. That makes a sense now. So what shall we be doing?"

"This is a copy of the Genetic Resequencer," the demigoddess said, pointing at a small device. "I've increased the resolution of its genetic sensors. If I can have you go to the control console?"

The physicist moved over to the console. "Yah?"

Sheila laid down on a table in front of the newly built genetic resequencer. "Activate it."

Nothing seemed to happen as Sheila sat perfectly still, not even breathing for the ten minutes.

"Ah. Are you, as they say, all right?" Zelenka asked.

"I'm fine, doctor. It is a rather drastic change to my structure. Could you run the program named Eye of Artemis? I would like to know how long I will have to rest before I can undergo step two," Sheila said in a soft voice.

"It's saying about twenty hours."

Sheila sat up slowly. "Thank you. Guess I won't be moving forward on that. Light duty for me."

"Is your hair supposed to be glowing brighter?" he asked.

"Yes, actually." And that terrified herself.

* * *

"I wish I was allowed to help capture the Prior that infected everyone," Sheila grumbled the next day.

Zelenka gave a tight grin. "You can't do everything."

"But can I do enough?" she asked him absently as she typed on the Ancient style holo controls.

That was when McKay walked in. "Did you hear the latest setback?" He had been working with Carter to try and find some sort of technological solution out of the computers of Atlantis.

"They failed to capture the Prior?"

"Correct, though they did at least get a sample of his blood," McKay explained. "It's still a long shot-"

"It's not enough. Not even with Orlin's help. And Teal'c is confronting Gerak's faction in hopeless combat." Sheila stood up. "Dr. Zelenka, we can't wait another day for a final treatment."

"But the numbers state that you need at least another twelve hours," the excitable professor said.

"Whoa whoa, what are you two talking about?" McKay asked as she trotted after the two.

"I'm using a modified genetic resequencer to advance my genetics to the point where I should be able to ascend." She stifled a cough, something she had not felt in years.

"But won't you get slammed with their non-interference clause problem?" McKay barely blinked at the dark, snow-swept vista outside the windows. The stark lights of Atlantis barely seemed to hold back the cold.

"That's their problem, not mine," she replied in a very hard tone. They came to a blank section of the wall and with a hand wave over a hidden sensor, opened up a hidden lab. "Dr. Zelenka, if you can take control of the genetic resequencer." Sheila then walked over and took out an advanced medical device. "A medical sample for the Asgard. Just in case."

"I'm ready over here," the scientist explained.

"Did you talk to Dr. Beckett?" McKay asked.

"No, because he would have tried to veto the use of the device," she replied as she slid the stasis pod out of the way.

"What? Why?" the abrasive scientist exclaimed angrily.

"Because I might die here, of course. And he would think that an unacceptable risk."

"He might have a point," McKay said in a curiously cautious voice.

"Sometimes you don't have time for the solutions that _will_ work, just the ones that _might_ work, doctor," she said with a soft smile.

"Ready!" Zelenka called out. The Czechoslovakian scientist looked quite morose.

Five minutes later, it was done. Sheila hair looked like molten silver while her skin glowed with an inner radiance.

"Well, stage one is done. Would you two like to escort me to the Gateroom?"

* * *

The young demigoddess was typing up a storm as Dr. Beckett and then Dr. Wier arrived. She had been in the Gateroom programming the Stargate to do very specific functions.

"What's this I hear that you've been using yourself as a bloody lab rat?" the doctor asked in a furious stage whisper.

"McKay, hmm? I told him that it was my choice," she replied. "Yes, I used the genetic re-sequencer on myself. Unfortunately, I had to shortcut the minimum safe time between my last two treatments."

"Lord above, girl. Are you trying to kill yourself?"

"Not purposefully, but we really do not have time for safe measures." She had not even slacked in her manipulating the holographic controls showing two Stargates.

"Dr. Beckett, I understand that you are concerned, but I have given Sheila full carté blanché to do what she needed in order to resolve this issue." The director of Atlantis was staring down her head-doctor with a grim look.

"That doesn't excuse nor say you have the authority-"

"Dr. Beckett? If you please, I really have work to do and you are standing in my way," Sheila said abruptly as she stood up.

"You need to come down to sick bay to get checked out," he said as he interposed himself between the exit and her.

That was when he heard the Stargate start to dial, lights flashing on and off.

"Where are you going?" the doctor demanded.

"To hopefully save the Earth from the Ori plague." The lights of the city dimmed behind her as more power was pushed into the gate, leaving her glowing hair as the main source of light in the room. Readouts on the holographic screens showed Atlantis was red-lining its generators.

Zelenka looked confused. "You dialed Cheyenne? But you are not giving them any warning-"

"No, because there's only one way I'm passing through this gate. Ascended," she said in a tight voice. "I'm hoping that the finality of the action will push my will to overcome the last hurdle." She started walking steadily as the wormhole surface stabilized.

Zelenka grabbed Beckett's arm and shook his head. Through the door, Orlin and Samantha walked in just in time to see Sheila heading to the gate.

With a single step no faster nor slower than the last, she stepped through. Then, for just a long heartbeat, she saw a tunnel.

Jack looked down over the shielded Stargate under Cheyanne Mountain in Stargate Command. "Still no signal, Walter?" Why was Atlantis trying to gate in when they knew of the quarantine?

"No, general. We're still waiting for the ID code to-" Walter and everyone else in the control room above the stargate suddenly had to hold their arms over their eyes as a blinding light appeared at the Stargate, passing right through the solid tritanium shield.

"We have a breach of the armor," a slightly quicker soldier called out. "She's made of light!"

"Sheila, what the hell sort of stunt is that? We can't let you leave now. We're in a total lockdown due to the quarantine!" Jack shouted even as alarms rang out. He was thinking furiously as he tried to look at the glowing teen.

"No time, general. Besides, I'm here to cure the plague." With that she opened the secured armored doors and had them open, walking quickly to the emergency quarantine barracks. All the soldiers, including Landry woke up to the light feeling better than they had in years as her gaze burned away the disease with a blazing radience.

She was back in the control room in just a few minutes. "General O'Neill, if I can have you dial the Atlantis Stargate?"

"Are you going to need them to disengage the force-shield?" he called out while signaling to Walter to start the process.

"No, that Stargate is currently entering orbit above South America, so it's shield function is turned off."

"What?" Sheppard shouted out as he arrived. "What are you doing?"

"An emergency cure for the plague. It will, unfortunately, be fairly public. Though I will try to be cryptic in my broadcast." Sheila's hair was waving in an ethereal wind.

Walter looked over at the general, hand ready to hit the emergency cut-off.

"I'm trusting you on this, Sheila. Don't make me regret this," Jack finally said. Now he had to speak quickly to the president about what a mess this had become. He wished he had not been pulled to fill this spot in the emergency after Landry was infected.

The Stargate activated, splooshing out and then forming a strange white event horizon. Sheila stepped through it and into space.

A cloaked Puddle Jumper had moved the Stargate into a chaotic seeming orbit. In the wintry night sky above Argentina, a new star lit up. Across the thousands of miles that were in direct line of sight for the Stargate in orbit, an over-riding signal was suddenly broadcasted on every analog radio and TV signal.

_'__People__of__Earth__I__bring__a__greetings__and__a__gift__. __Let__my__light__shine__upon__thee__this__day__and__be__healed__. __Bring__out__all__the__wounded__and__infirm__, __so__that__they__may__be__blessed__this__days__and__drive__back__the__evil__. __For__in__this__day__does__the__forces__of__light__fight__back__the__ever__encroaching__darkness__,' _Sheila transmitted in her voice even as the stargate behind her started pulsing brighter and brighter. She left the Puddlejumper transmitting the message over and over.

A tendril of energy pushed outward from the stargate, striking the back of her body, pumping energy for a higher-ordered dimension into her body. Nearby Ancients wavered invisibly and immaterially as something new came into being, from beyond their experience.

The blazing light of the Stargate seemed to explode the body in front of it... and then reformed as a robed figure of ultimate grace and peace as the ancient power of healing manifested itself in the incarnate form of the Avatar of Healing. Her eyes opened as the Stargate was moved behind the one-hundred foot tall goddess's head in a halo of super-technology, more energy still tethering into her.

Back in Atlantis, McKay was working the Ancient sensors. "These sensor readings... they don't make any sense. We managed to spot Orlin as he materialized and the layer of hyperspace that I think the Ancients inhabit, but this is actually a higher order hyper-dimension. All the power in the city is being poured into piercing up to that dimension to tap it. The amount of power that is being drawn is enough to vaporize this section of the galaxy."

Weir and Sam both shared incredulous looks at that. The administrator shook off her stupefication first. "Where is all that power going?"

"Into Sheila. Somehow she is metabolizing the power to use in this... ascended form. Atlantis's sensors are flatly saying what she is doing is 100 % impossible. That power should be melting the Earth into super-string quantum foam," he replied.

"But she's using it somehow," Samantha Carter noted. She looked over at Orlin. "Do you know what she is doing?"

"She's not ascended as we Ancients know it," the young tween noted as he thought quickly, thinking better and more ably than he had since first arriving. "It appears this is something unique."

"She claimed to be the daughter of a goddess from another reality. Not a pretender and with very quick reaction to traversing the Stargate." Weir smiled at the young man. "Her hair kept glowing after she stepped through it and exhibited several impossible abilities."

"Interesting," Orlin replied.

"Whoa, the other Puddlejumper just detected almost every case of this bioweapon plague just disappeared from South America. Only two blips left," McKay called out.

"Forward that to General Landry at SG Command. We need to contain those last two victims." Colonel Carter frowned as she considered items. "Tell him to call the president and suggest ordering all troops to go outside and see this event. It seems like it is line of sight."

Elizabeth Weir nodded. "Everyone though? Not just the infected?"

"It can't hurt to be cured of everything, can it?" Sheppard said as he walked up. "So what is doing this cure?

Teyla held her in question also. "What is going on?

For three hours, the light seared wounds and disease from everyone that gazed upon it. No response was received from the mysterious message, though all countries tried to speak to her.

At the end of the three hours, the giant figure of light seemed to flicker for a long moment. The Stargate suddenly cut off. And with it, the influx of power from the high-energy upper-dimension.

It left a human-sized, if glowing brightly, Sheila in its place, tumbling in space. She raised her hand to the Stargate floating forty feet away from her, gesturing to activate it.

With a silent kawoosh of energy, the wormhole stabilized and the invisible Puddlejumper scooped her up through the portal. That left her sprawled on the ground in front of Stargate Command's gate, a glowing, crumpled form.

"Incoming wormhole," the warrant officer Walter called out as the gate quickly dialed in as two armed soldiers dragged Sheila from in front of the stargate under the watch of the security team. "It's Gerak's IDC."

The Teal'c and the new prior stepped through the stargate once it was cleared, taking in the view. "General O'Neill. How goes your fight against the plague?"

"Actually, it is going very well," the snarky officer replied. "No thanks to your friend."

The older Jaffa bowed his head. "You are correct. I have been trying to gate you for over an hour, so that I may help you in your time of need. Teal'c has convinced me that it is better to die free that to become slaves to the Ori in place of the Goa'uld."

Jack studied him for a long moment. "Well, you still might be able to help. We cured the plague from all but three people on Earth. But the Ori are still out there."

"That is good that Earth is safe, General O'Neill. But if I use the power of the Ori against their wishes, I will be destroyed," Gerak explained.

"Quite likely. But we don't necessarily need you to use their power."

* * *

"I want to know what you were thinking, General O'Neill... General Landry," a florid-faced man called out.

"Senator Armstrong, we were in a critical situation. The Earth was being attacked by an alien bio-weapon." Landry did not look happy sitting across the conference table from the members of the International Oversight Agency.

It was twelve hours after what the media was being dubbed 'The Curing.'

Richard Woolsey nodded. "Explain what happened and why we can't talk to this mysterious Sheila Henderson."

"Mitchell, bring them up to date on the Ori attack up until Sheila interceded," Jack ordered the colonel.

Colonel Cameron Mitchell nodded. "Apparently one of our SG teams was spotted by a Prior on, uh, P2X-885," he explained as he quickly referred to a report. "We believe the Prior either took the opportunity to infect Colonel Barnes or was instructed to do by the Ori."

"So this was a deliberate attack?" Woolsey demanded as he rubbed his bald head as if he felt a headache coming on.

"Yes. The infection... vector was airborne inhalation and physical contact at the very minimum," the young and handsome officer explained. "SG Command had mounted several operations to try and cure the plague. But it seems it was as resistant to curing as the original plague that wiped out the Ancients."

Shen Xiaoyi did not look very happy. The Chinese representative narrowed her eyes and pursed her lips. "So Sheila magnanimously rescued us from the Ori? Is she asking for us to worship her instead?"

Dr. Weir held up her hand in front of her, forgetting the papers she had been sorting to look for something. "That isn't in her psychological makeup, Representative Ziaoyi. In fact, she has actually stated she is not 'totally comfortable with worship'."

"You did a psychological evaluation on an ally?" Daniel Jackson asked from the far left side of the large table as he leaned forward in his seat.

"Yes, and I'm pretty sure she noticed it to. She's an earnest young woman, stranded in a different space and time. She actually has stories of fighting mythological monsters. Minotaurs, giants, pixies and ghosts," Weir explained. "Aliens were entirely outside of her experience. But her personal interventions have saved everyone on Earth and the lives of our greatest allies, the Asgard."

"That's a small something we have to take into consideration," Jack said as he nodded agreement with Weir. "Do we really want to upset the Asgard by mistreating a girl for saving our lives?"

Woolsey gave Jack a hard look. "That is not what we are suggesting. But you have to admit, she's a major power now."

"Right now, Mr. Woosley, she's a patient in the infirmary after she nearly killed herself," Samantha Carter said with a cool tone. "We don't know what she did exactly, but whatever it did was a forced evolution."

"What is her prognosis?" Xiaoyi asked curiously. "Can China or other nations send specialists that can help?"

"According to Orlin, she's leaking out the type of high-order dimensional energy that the Ancients are actually composed of in their ascended state. He said she used the energy inefficiently and nearly burned herself out." Dr. Lam just stared at the report in her hands.

"What _can_ we do?" Woolsey asked.

"We have to wait. And if you can, pray for her," Jack said with a shrug.

* * *

Orlin studied the glowing figure laying in the isolation room. "Only 1 % of the hyper-dimensional energy is remaining." The youthful ex-Ascended Ancient looked quite out of place.

Sam nodded. "What do you think, Rodney?"

"Well, it _seems_ to be a natural process where her body is flushing the alien energies from her system. We've learned an absolute staggering amount of information about the Ascension process." He glanced at the two of them for a long moment. "I've been asked about the feasibility of enhancing people to at least a first stage or two of the process."

"General Arwood? She also asked me. And her reasoning is actually pretty compelling," Sam replied to the scientists.

"Using it to attack the Ori will not help," the pre-teen Ancient replied.

"While it is a bit in using it militarily, it's actually only to _defend_ Earth. We are terribly vulnerable to the Priors. The actual selection process will be at _least_ as stringent as what we use to select our general and admirals," the colonel explained. "And not all of the people that are being recommended are military. Some will be scientists like Rodney here."

"Your people are not ready for this," Orlin argued with a cute scowl on his too-young face.

Rodney was the one who glared at him. "Sorry for our enemies not giving us the time to advance naturally. Maybe if the Ancients were willing to keep the Ori out we could. But we- don't- have- that luxury!" he snapped out.

The young boy nodded slowly. "I... can see that." And truthfully, if the Ancients really cared that much, they could intervene.

A console in front of the glass window started to beep softly.

"The last of the Ancient-type energy is fading away... And so is she!" Sam said in anguish as she clenched her hands on the console, her knuckles quite white in strain.

In the isolation room, Sheila's body was sublimating into pure energy. In a flash of light... she disappeared.

For a long moment, they could only stare in horror.

"She's gone. She's really gone-" Rodney started to say.

And with a rush of light, Sheila appeared in the observation. "Woo. I will have to watch out for that."

"You are Ascended... but do not have the Ancient energy?" Orlin asked curiously. "That should be impossible."

She waggled a finger at him. "No, its just _different_. I finished my Apotheosis. I'm not even close to the way the Ancients ascended, but I'm not exactly like my family and the gods of my reality did either. Because, hey, telekinisis and telepathy are _handy_."

"You are going to be okay, I take it?" Sam asked with a huge and wide smile.

"Yup!" she chirped out. "Unfortunately, I can't channel the pure aspect of healing like I did in orbit at this point. I'm a bit diminished, but I'm still young."

Rodney swept her up into a hug. "So do you need to go through the genetic enhancer again?" he started babbling as he spun her around. "Is there anything we can do to help?"

"Um, it really wouldn't help me. I'm just wearing a Sheila body so that I don't impact the mortal world too strongly with my godly essence." At their confused looks, she continued. "It's a fate-binding thing. It forces mortals and gods (to a lesser degree) into these roles, even if they don't want to be defined totally by their past actions."

"So you have become more mortal? I wonder why the Ancients don't do something like that?" Sam asked, tilting her head as she looked at Orlin.

"No idea," he answered. "I'm not sure we can do that while still being truly ascended. They might actually look into it now, though."

"So now what?" the Canadian scientist asked curiously.

"Well, I'd say its time to do some godly acts as we fight off the Ori," she replied. "I have to be nuts to take on an entire racial _pantheon_ by myself. Especially considering how weak I am."

"Well, I know you have a whole bunch of people that want to talk to you. And I think a few thanks for saving all of our lives," the US Airforce officer noted.

Sheila just smiled at them all while shaking her head. "Do I have to?" she asked as Rodney almost dragged her out of the room.


End file.
